The communities of Tshidzete, Lwamondo, Tshifulanani, Tshalovha, and neighbouring villages have suffered a devastating blow with the bombing of two ATMs they relied on for cash withdrawals and banking.
News broke early on Tuesday morning that the ATMs had been destroyed, leaving community members stranded. They now face the inconvenience of travelling long distances to Thohoyandou or Shayandima to conduct their banking. Staff at the garage where the incident occurred were also left traumatised.
This is not the first ATM bombing in Vhembe in recent months. Two months ago, ATMs at the Tshakhuma shopping complex were similarly destroyed, depriving residents of nearby banking facilities. Three weeks ago, another ATM at a shopping complex in Shayandima was bombed by unknown suspects. These incidents have left communities fearful, especially as the festive season approaches, when such crimes often escalate.
The latest bombing occurred at the Caltex filling station in Lwamondo, owned by businessman and traditional leader Vhamusanda Vho Pfananani Neckson Shavhani. According to Shavhani, a group of men arrived at the station shortly after 02:00, threatening staff members on duty before blowing up the ATMs, looting them, and fleeing the scene in an unidentified vehicle.
"Although there is no damage to the building, the machines were completely wrecked. The biggest losers, however, are the community members. We installed these machines to bring banking services closer to their homes. It is a sad day indeed for them as they will now have to travel long distances to town for even simple banking transactions they could previously do here," Shavhani said.
He expressed concern about the rising crime rate in the area, especially with the festive season at hand, when criminal activity is expected to increase. He also criticised the apparent lack of police progress in solving such cases.
"We urge the police to work harder to arrest the culprits, which would serve as a deterrent. I am also deeply concerned about the safety of my staff, who witnessed the incident. I cannot imagine the trauma they went through," he said.