Stocktheft syndicate descends on Shanyaugwe

By Mashudu Netsianda

IT’S a hot Tuesday afternoon and the yellow blazing hangs palely in the blue sky. Curious Dube (28), drenched in sweat, is lying under a huge Morula tree in their family field at Shanyaugwe village under Gwanda District. A cool breeze blows through the wilted drought stricken crops in the field.

From a distance one would be forgiven for thinking that Dube is safeguarding the crops from being destroyed by goats and cattle.

In fact, Dube is one of the 41 victims who were recently attacked by the community of Shangaugwe during last week’s clashes between members of the neighbourhood watch committee (NWC) and the local community. The attacks on NWC members, which occurred last Monday, were in retaliation by angry villagers over the arrest of their colleagues who have been implicated in stocktheft cases.

However, Dube was assaulted by the villagers for allegedly selling out information to the NWC members from neighbouring Siboza village, who were on an anti-stocktheft exercise.

The NWC members had received information that there were some stolen goats hidden at several local homesteads in Shanyaugwe and they arrested four suspects recovering several goats.

Dube is now living in fear and he spends his day hiding in the fields after his assailants had promised to return for more attacks.

When Chronicle visited then victim, he was lying in the field writhing in pain following the attack.

Narrating his ordeal, Dube said the villagers who were armed with knobkerries and spears descended on his home at dusk.

“They were a group of about 30 men who were wielding spears and knobkerries. They just stormed our home at started accusing me of being a sell out before dragging me to a nearby bushy area where they assaulted me all over the body using logs and knobkerries,” he said.

He sustained severe injuries in the head and his back had bruises while his mouth was also swollen.

“Right I can’t even walk properly and my mouth is swollen I am in pain and they (suspects) promised to come back and I am now living in fear such that I now spend the whole day hiding in the field. I only go home at night to sleep and then wake up in the early morning hours,” Dube said.

Ms Agnes Ndlovu, Dube’s mother said: “These villagers are dangerous and they are capable of doing anything and my fear is that if information gets into their ears that you people (Chronicle reporter and police officers) were at my home they would kill us.”

Ms Ndlovu said she lost all her nine cattle to stocktheft syndicates.

“I am no longer interested in keep livestock because I had nine cattle and they stole all of them including my goats and it’s now difficult for me to start thinking of cattle rearing because I believe it’s a sheer waste of time. In fact, I am now contemplating relocating to another area. I am sick and tired of this kind of life,” said Ms Ndlovu.

Another villager, Elphaus Dube, who is also a local NWC member echoed Ms Ndlovu’s sentiments, saying he lost a herd of 19 cattle.

“I am sick and tired of this kind of life in Shangaugwe. I have been losing my cattle since 2007 and as I speak I am only left with four beasts after losing 19 of them to cattle rustlers.

“At one time they came to my home and beat me up before setting one of my huts ablaze apparently fixing me for being a member of the NWC,” he said.

The local village head, Mr Stephan Dube expressed concern over rampant stocktheft cases in the area.

“Villagers in Shanyaugwe continue to lose their livestock, especially cattle to organized syndicates and we are therefore appealing to ZRP to set up police base in this village.

“I believe if police establish a base here at least that would help in reducing stocktheft cases, which continue to increase everyday,” he said.

Presently villagers in Shanyaugwe are forced to travel long distances to either Zezani or Silonga to report crime.

Chronicle under the escort of three armed police officers also visited the “battlefield” and found some of the weapons used by the suspects during the attacks.  Cooking utensils, which were used by the NWC members while camping at the site could also be seen scattered all over the entire area. Visible drag marks on the banks of the dry riverbed also bore testimony that skirmishes took place.

Some of the scotch-carts used by NWC members were abandoned at a nearby homestead.

The officer commanding police in Beitbridge District, Chief Superintendent Hosiah Mukombero said the villagers led by Reason Nkomo, an alleged notorious cattle rustler in the area, were incensed by the arrest of their colleagues resulting in them mobilising each other before they launched a hunt for the anti-stocktheft team. The suspects who were armed with spears and knobkerries found the NWC members camped in the bush and they descended on them.
One of the NWC members, Moses Siziba (65), sustained severe injuries and was rushed to Zezani Clinic before he was later transferred to Beitbridge District Hospital where he died on Sunday.
The other victim, whose name was not given, was taken to Gwanda Provincial Hospital after sustaining a fractured hand.

Chief Supt Mukombero said no arrests have been made and a manhunt for the suspects has since been launched.
“We will soon be deploying a large number of our officers to the area and the entire village is now deserted as the culprits have fled. We have launched a hunt for the suspects and as police we are also appealing to members of the public to assist us with information that might lead to their arrest,” he said.
Shanyaugwe is a known area for stocktheft activities in Matabeleland South Province. The stolen cattle are reportedly driven to a Dodieburn farm before they are then ferried to Bulawayo where there is a ready market.

Recently, police in the province recovered 29 cattle worth US$6 000 during an anti-stocktheft exercise code-named Operation Inkomo Wazithathangaphi.
The stolen cattle were recovered in Shanyaugwe, Ngoma, Selonga, John Dip and Guyu where villagers had expressed an outcry over rampant cattle rustling activities in their areas.

Publisher: www.chronicle.co.zw/27/03/10