Xenophobic attacks or hooliganism?

The ugly scars of xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals, which took a number of lives and left many injured and displaced, are still fresh in the minds of South Africans and the foreign nationals themselves.

With the month of May being recognised nationally as Africa month, several Zimbabwean citizens in Vhembe are appealing for help as an alleged new war is being waged against them by locals.

Since the beginning of March, Zimbabwean citizens in villages around Vhembe have been asking themselves what they have done wrong as they are randomly attacked and told to vacate villages, even though they have valid papers allowing them to be in the country legally.

A gang of ruthless youths at Dididi village are waging a war of terror on residents, more specifically Zimbabweans and locals who have ties with foreign nationals. These youths reportedly launch their operations at night and mostly under the influence of liquor and have become a menace in the community, claiming to have the support of the local civic and traditional leader.

Since their campaign started in early March this year, families have been misplaced while properties have also been destroyed. Some members of the community were left with scars that will take time to heal.

One of the first casualties was the Nematatani family. The family of seven has gone through trauma since the head of the family, Mr Admire Ncube, a Zionist bishop who is in the country legally, was expelled from the village, allegedly because he is a Zimbabwean.

Ncube was expelled because he was allegedly behind the spate of crimes committed in the village. He is the sole breadwinner of the family and had to leave his family to fend for themselves. His eldest daughter, Ms Emulani Nematatani (22), was a student at Vhembe TVET College and had to abandon her studies because there is no one to support her. As if that were not enough, the youths allegedly went on the rampage last Sunday evening, attacking Zimbabweans and families who have ties with them.

The Nematatani family was targeted again when a group known to the family came looking for Ncube. "We were asleep at around midnight when we heard the sound of a car passing. A short while later, the car came back and stopped right at our gate. I could hear voices outside and then some knocking at the door. I opened the door and people who are known to us said they wanted to come inside the house as they were looking for a Zimbabwean, referring to my father.”

She said that she did not allow them in and told them they should first produce a search warrant to enter the house, which they did not have. “They told me they had been sent by the local chief and that he was in the bakkie," said Emulani.

She further indicated that, upon seeing that she was not going to give in, some threw stones at the house and hit her brother. They also allegedly broke and stole some poles that were meant for roofing.

"We do not even know what wrong we have done to these people. They expelled my father; now they still torment us as if we owe them something. We are treated like foreigners in our country - all because our father is Zimbabwean.”

She emphasised that life was miserable for them and was becoming worse, “because people we know are doing this.”

The mother of the family, Ms Rudzani Nematatani (44), said their family was displaced because of petty village politics. "We thought we would have peace after they had expelled my husband, but they are still after us. I was born and bred here, and I do not know of any other home. I do not know where to go right now. We need help from this hell," she said.

Another unlucky Zimbabwean is Mr Edmore Gumbo Baketi (26). He was attacked while visiting a family in the village. "I was in one of the houses in the village when a mob arrived and started attacking me. They hit me with an assortment of weapons before abducting me and dumping me at the side of the road, thinking that I was dead.”

Baketi further indicated that he is a peace-loving person who makes an honest living through piece jobs. "I wonder why they did this to me. If I had done something wrong, they were supposed to have taken me to the chief or get me arrested. Just because I am a Zimbabwean they treat me in the most inhumane way.”

The local civic leader, Mr Morris Mathoma, said he had heard about the incidents and had visited one of the families to get first-hand information. “We are very worried about the latest developments in the village, and we are going to sit down during the week and chart the way forward. We have identified those involved and we are going to summon them.”

He added that they would like to see the problem solved once and for all.

Limpopo police spokesperson Lt-Col Moatshe Ngoepe said they should report the cases and if they had no success at the local police station, they could also report to the cluster commander and even the police commissioner. 

The question that many are asking is whether the attacks are xenophobic or just another form of hooliganism in the village.

Date:12 May 2018

By: Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

Read: 2014