adminCASES of violent crime involving the use of specified weapons such as knives are on the rise in Matabeleland and reinforce the unfortunate stereotype that this region is a haven for stabbings with people having no regard for the sanctity of human life.Disputes, be it at shebeens in the western suburbs of Bulawayo or beer drinking parties in the rural hinterland of Matabeleland almost inevitably end up bloody with protagonists resorting to stabbing their foes to settle them.
The use of knives particularly of the notorious Okapi brand, has become so commonplace youths find it difficult to leave their homes without tucking one in their pockets and this is dangerous because the temptation to use one is high. One does not need to be a rocket scientist to realise that dangerous weapons, once let loose on society, have the potential to unleash a wave of violent crime in an unprecedented manner.
Across the border in South Africa, they are experiencing some of the worst cases of violent crime involving guns due to liberal gun control laws.
In South Africa, due to lax gun control, just like in the United States of America, cases of fatal shootings are high. These are not restricted to criminals but ordinary South Africans have woken up to news of mass school shootings by teenagers with scores to settle while on the home front, many a domestic dispute has been settled through the use of a gun – the Oscar Pistorious tragedy being a case in point.
This shows that without firm and stricter control of dangerous weapons, society runs the risk of fuelling violent crime.
Zimbabwe has one of the best gun control laws in the world and this explains the relatively low cases of gun-related crime. However, this should cascade down to knives which are killing our citizens at an alarming rate.
Elsewhere on these pages we report of a 22-year-old Bulawayo woman, who irked by her neighbour who reportedly went around spreading news that she was flirting with different men, went berserk and allegedly stabbed the said gossip monger three times in the chest.
The victim had to be urgently rushed to the hospital for treatment following the alleged attack.
Nomagugu Dube who resides at House Number 9186 Cowdray Park suburb allegedly confronted Ms Evidence Nyathi and started accusing her of spreading news about her alleged sexual escapades with different men.
The two women had a heated argument, which degenerated into a fist-fight and sensing defeat at the hands of Nyathi, Dube subsequently pulled out a kitchen knife and directed its sharp end towards the complainant’s chest, brutally stabbing her thrice. After committing the alleged offence, Dube fled the scene and left Nyathi lying helplessly in a pool of blood.
The callous nature of the act and the brazen way it was committed should worry our society’s moral guardians and leave them with questions such as: Why would a young woman commit such a vile and gruesome crime? Has society become so crooked as to produce such youths who do not seem to value life at all? Certainly our moral values are in the dock.
Are we doing enough to bring up morally upright citizens? Our law enforcement agents should take this as a challenge and move quickly to arrest this disturbing trend.
In this vein, we agree with sentiments raised by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese who yesterday decried the use of specified weapons such as Okapi knives in Matabeleland North saying they were alarming and called for stiff measures to be taken against the perpetrators.
Justice Makonese said this while presiding over a case at the Hwange High Court Circuit where a man from Nkayi, Try Mpala (46) appeared before him charged with the murder of 19-year-old Benson Khumalo from the same area.
Justice Makonese said the use of Okapi knives was rampant in Matabeleland North and the courts should guard against the loss of lives.
“The court must weigh the interest of society and loss of life. In this matter a young person was killed, his life exterminated at 19 when he could maybe had led a bright future,” said Justice Makonese.
“The use of knives in this province is alarming. People are stabbing each other with specified knives daily. People like you should be locked away, we are not a violent country and such disputes should be resolved amicably.”
Online Reporter