The 26-year-old Ndaedzo Manngo, who was stabbed with a sharp object at a local liquor outlet on 30 March at Phadzima Dzumbathoho in the Vhulaudzi/Dzanani area, has died.
Manngo died at Siloam Hospital on 7 April after being admitted for treatment following the incident. Vhembe police spokesperson Captain Vuledzani Dathi said preliminary investigations found that the deceased had been assaulted by a known suspect who allegedly used a sharp object during the attack.
Dathi confirmed that police have arrested two suspects, Robert Makhado (35) and Matamela Maano (35), in connection with the incident. The two appeared in the Mphephu Magistrate’s Court on 13 April on a charge of murder. The case was postponed to 18 April for a bail application.
The chairperson of the South African National Civics Organisation (SANCO) at Phadzima, Mr Joe Mulaudzi, said the incident had raised serious concerns within the community.
“As a community structure and as members of the community, we are still in shock. It is saddening to see young people dying at liquor outlets. Losing young people is like losing the future of the country,” Mulaudzi said.
The mother of the deceased, Ms Rudzani Maango, said the family was shocked by the way Ndaedzo had died.
“What did my son do to these people that made them kill him? … I want justice for my son,” she said.
Rudzani added that the family had lost a valued member. “He did not deserve to be killed in the way he was killed. We are deeply saddened,” she said.
Ndaedzo will be buried on Saturday, 18 April, at Phiphidi, with the funeral service scheduled to start at 06:00.