Online Reporter
H-Metro Reporter
FOR Benjy Chimusoro, the cold-blooded killing of Thabetha Chidziva on the crime-ridden streets of Hillbrow last week, brought back memories from the past when he used to live in this Johannesburg area.
Thabetha, 42, was shot and killed by a man after a dispute between the two escalated and ended up in cold-blood murder.
The final moments of her life were caught on CCTV. Thabetha, who was laid to rest at Granville cemetery in Harare on Sunday morning, left behind three children.
Chimusoro, who also calls himself Sancho Zamorano, has now relocated back home where he is working in various fields, including being a Master of Ceremony at events.
He also works as a stadium announcer at Premiership matches, especially when CAPS United and Hardrock are at home, and is very active on social media.
“Hillbrow is something else my brother and things that happen there, if you have never lived in that area, you will struggle to believe that is the truth and it’s not fiction,” he told H-Metro.
“The streets there are very dangerous, especially when it’s night time and I can say that once it’s past 10 o’clock at night, everything changes and what happens on those streets is something you cannot even imagine.
“I lived on those streets and I had my own brushes with danger and with time you begin to understand what you can do and can’t do, where you can go and can’t go if you want to live.
“Things can happen in an instant and I was robbed on those streets, it’s common because there are gangs everywhere you go, and being robbed is something that is considered a petty incident.
“I think where the lady was shot and killed is at the corner of Wanderers Street and Smith Street.
“These streets are rife with crime in Hillbrow and they are not the only ones because there is nowhere you can call a safe place or safe street in Hillbrow.”
He added:
“Quartz Street, Esselen,Twist Street, Claim Street, Caroline Street, Van de Merwe Street, Pretorius, King George Street, all these are dangerous areas, especially when the sun sets.
“Other streets which are dangerous are Nugget Street, End Street, Marshall Street/ End Street, Banket Street. Areas where you need to be very vigilant, whether its night or day, are Joubert Park, Hillbrow, Berea, Yeovil, Jeppestown.”
On Sunday, as Thabetha was being laid to rest, a murder was reported at the intersection of Claim and Kaptein Streets in Hillbrow.
Hillbrow is considered a high-risk area with high concentrations of drug-related violent crimes and robberies.
It’s an area where even the police officers are not safe. Oupa Johannes Dunn (44) was sentenced to 15 years’ in jail for robbing a policeman in Hillbrow n April 30, 2024.
The officer was walking from a restaurant around midnight when he was attacked by three men.
One of the attackers drew a firearm and they pinned the officer on the ground and stole his wallet, police badge and cellphone.
Dunn was arrested during the same night.
While latest statistics show a 9.5% reduction in total crimes reported in the Hillbrow precinct, there has been an increase in Johannesburg Central and nearby areas like Jeppe.
Statistics show that Johannesburg has a crime index of 80.8, with a safety rating of 19.2, making it one of the most dangerous cities in Africa.
“As South Africa’s financial capital, it attracts business, tourism, and international investment, but street crime and violent incidents remain common,” noted the Business Insider Africa.
“Residents rely on private security and gated communities, and visitors are advised to remain alert.
“Despite safety concerns, Johannesburg offers cultural vibrancy, commerce, and urban opportunity.”
The Mail & Guardian reported at the weekend that while violent crime in South Africa continued to decrease in the third quarter of last year, from October 1 to December 31, acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said the statiscs were still very high.
“Most violent crime categories, including murder, rape, robbery and most property related crimes like theft and burglary continued to decrease, but remain at unacceptably high levels,” he said.
“This means that over the past two years, the numbers of murders for the (third) quarter … had dropped by 17.6% or 1 359 fewer murders.
“Over the past two years, total violent crime for this quarter is down by 8.3% or 15 763 fewer cases. This trend may well be attributable to enhanced policing operations.
“Out of the 30 highest murder precincts, decreases were recorded in only 15 of them. The killings relating to gang violence in the Eastern and Western Cape in particular, remain worrisomely high.”
