Three family members were injured, and one was killed during a suspected armed robbery at Basani on Sunday evening. One of the robbers was also apparently accidentally shot by his fellow criminals and died on the scene.
From what could be established, the three robbers attacked a house and held up the four family members at around 20:30. They demanded cash and cell phones. When some of the family members resisted, the robbers started firing indiscriminately. In the process, one of the family members, Ms Cynthia Rikhotso (25), was hit in the stomach. She died as a result of the wound. The three other family members apparently sustained wounds and were later admitted to Elim hospital.
According to the police, the suspects have been linked to many crimes. They are believed to be part of a robbery syndicate and have been active in the area.
Limpopo police spokesperson Lt Col Moatshe Ngoepe said that a murder case and attempted murder cases were being investigated. He appealed to the community to furnish the police with all the necessary information that could help them apprehend the perpetrators. "With the support we are getting from our communities, it will be just a matter of time before we catch up with the thugs," he said.
The suspects are apparently responsible for a spate of other crimes that have left the community in the Bungeni area fearing for their lives. The two suspects were still at large at the time of going to press.
Talking to Limpopo Mirror on Tuesday, family spokesperson Ms Sylvia Mahla said the incident had been horrible. "As a family we never expected our family member to die like this." She said that the family were traumatised by the murder.
A community leader, Mr France Baloyi, described the killers as sadists as they could have taken everything from the family members without having to use violence. "They are heartless and do not deserve to live with people," he said. Baloyi said the death had left the community devastated and sad.
Baloyi said that they were just hoping that the police would do their part and make sure that the culprits were brought to book and answered for their actions. "As leaders, we are very concerned about the death of defenceless people. We feel that the community has to stand up and join the police in the fight against crime. We cannot just sit down and watch while our people are being killed," he said.
Baloyi called for unity and an intensification of the fight against crime by the community, in conjunction with the police. He said they were looking at ways of reviving the neighbourhood watch and street committees that would make it difficult for criminals to infiltrate and operate in the community.