Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Chronicle Reporter
THE spate of crimes in the mining town of Gwanda has sparked widespread fear among residents from the town who feel they are no longer safe even during the day.
The town has recently recorded an increase in cases of car jackings, theft from motor vehicles, house break ins, break ins into business premises.
The upsurge in crime has become one of the topical issues in the mining town, with residents calling for intervention from the police.
According to police records, Gwanda has recorded 34 robbery cases, 130 unlawful entry cases, 154 assault cases and 214 theft cases since the beginning of the year.
In a recent incident, four robbers were gunned down by the police during a shoot-out after they had robbed a local woman of her car and valuables in the city centre.
A woman who owns a shop in town was robbed of her vehicle, a Toyota Corolla, at gun point at around 10AM while loading groceries in the vehicle.
The armed robbers allegedly threatened the woman with a firearm and drove off with her some 11km out of town, where they dumped her and removed number plates from the vehicle.
The suspects also robbed the complainant of US$100, R1 000 and $4 000 as well as four cellphones.
The car was later spotted at Old Zintec Gwanda and police were notified and it was recovered.
In two other separate incidents, a Honda Fit and a Toyota Fun Cargo were stolen at the NSSA Complex during the day after robbers pointed guns at the car owners
In June police in Gwanda intercepted and arrested a heavily armed gang of 11 men intending to rob a gold dealer.
Mr Prince Dube from Spitzkop North Suburb lost his laptop last month after it was stolen from his car while it was parked in the city centre.
“In the past, I knew that I could even leave my car unlocked in the CBD with valuables inside.
Last month I left my laptop in the car which was parked along a fairly busy street.
I had gone to the barber to get a haircut and when I returned to my car I was shocked to find my laptop gone.
The thieves had tampered with my door in order to gain access,” he said in an interview yesterday.
“I don’t feel safe leaving my vehicle anymore even in broad daylight because these thieves are daring.”
Mr Bekezela Moyo who was a victim of car jacking said he was intercepted by two men who were armed with pistols while he had parked his vehicle at a shopping centre in Spitzkop north suburb.
He said the pair came up to him and ordered him out of the car while holding a gun to his head.
Mr Moyo said his vehicle was recovered the following day after suspects had dumped it at Guyu Business Centre.
Mrs Fellunah Mswere who resides in Gwanda’s city centre said last month a thief broke into her home in the middle of the night.
She said the suspect first went to the kitchen and helped himself to some food which was in the fridge.
He then collected some items in the house and placed them by the door in preparation to leave with them.
Mrs Mswere said a co-tenant in the house screamed which caused the suspect to leave some of the items that he had collected.
“We were asleep in the middle of the night when we heard our co-tenant screaming.
When we went to him he told us that someone had snatched his laptop from the house and fled with it.
We noticed that the suspect had collected a number of items that he had intended to steal and he had placed them by the door.
When he noticed that we were aware of his presence he then left in a rush and only managed to leave with the laptop,” she said.
Mrs Mswere said she does not feel safe anymore knowing that a robber could break into the house anytime and harm her family. She said there is need for measures to contain the situation.
Ward 9 Councillor, Thulani Moyo said the rate of crime is too high in the town to the extent that each person has been robbed at some point or was close to someone who had been robbed.
Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Cde Abedinico Ncube on Tuesday held a meeting with residents in Gwanda to discuss ways to fight crime.
He said there is need for collective effort from various stakeholders in order to address crime.
Cde Ncube said one of the major challenges was that some residents were protecting criminals.
“The crime and violence we are recording will taint the image of our town thereby stalling development.
People don’t want to invest in a crime prone area.
Let’s all play our part and ensure that we fight crime,” he said.
Also speaking during the same meeting officer commanding Gwanda District Chief Superintendent Mandlenkosi Moyo said police could not manage to guard every house and business premise hence the need to establish neighbourhood watch committees that will work with police.
He said police will ensure that a police base is established in every crime hotspot area. — @DubeMatutu
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