The town of Thohoyandou, particularly the main road from the post office to the Venda Plaza Taxi Rank, is fast becoming a hunting ground for criminals.
Over the past few months, several incidents of muggings, stabbings, and robberies have taken place in the area. Just this past weekend, a man lost his life after being stabbed while walking along this notorious stretch of road.
The incident happened on Saturday at around 19:30, opposite the Boxer store near the Venda Plaza Taxi Rank. Information circulating is that the man, who was later identified as being of Zimbabwean origin, was walking alone when he was accosted by men intending to rob him. The man reportedly tried to fend off the attackers, who then stabbed him several times, leaving him for dead. His lifeless body was found in a pool of blood on the street.
Another victim, who preferred to remain anonymous, said she was in town on her way to a nearby supermarket to cash her voucher when she noticed a group of men surrounding a man. "My instinct told me something bad was happening, so I took another direction. That did not help as I was also cornered and robbed of my bag by two men. One of the robbers insisted on going with me [to the bank], but by sheer luck a motorist came by. That's when he left me, and I managed to scream, and the robbers fled," she said.
She explained that only after this incident had she noticed that a man had been killed. "It is no longer safe to be in Thohoyandou in the late hours. The town is dark at night, and there are no police patrols, even though the police station is just a stone's throw from the notorious spot. We are at the mercy of criminals here," she said.
A street vendor who plies his trade next to the notorious stretch said robberies had become a way of life in the area. "We witness this on a daily basis. We always hear cries of people being mugged here. The worst thing is that it seems these are organised criminals who prey on innocent night workers finishing work late. We are appealing to the police to increase patrols here after dark to stop the loss of innocent lives," he said.
Vhembe SAPS spokesperson W/O Vuledzani Dathi confirmed the incident, saying they had opened a murder case. "We were alerted to the scene and, on arrival, found the man in a pool of blood. The man had a school bag containing R600. A passport in his possession showed he was a 26-year-old Zimbabwean. We are appealing for information that could lead to the arrest of suspects. Information can be forwarded to the investigating officer, Det Const Plessure Mabasa, at (083) 981-2202," he said.