The Eastern Cape has recorded the highest number of deaths caused by assault in the country.
Four districts in the province are among the dubious top 10 districts in South Africa for the number of deaths caused by assault.
This was revealed in a report by Statistician-General Dr Pali Lehohla at a Dispatch Dialogue at the Guild Theatre last week.
The province has the fourth-largest population in the country with 6.5 million people, and according to the 2015 report, 1758 (22%) of deaths from assault happened in the Eastern Cape out of a total of 7194 nationally.
Alfred Nzo municipality recorded the highest number of cases, followed by OR Tambo, Chris Hani and Amathole municipalities.
Eastern Cape Liquor Board spokesman Mgweba Miya said there were 3575 registered taverns in the four districts.
During a visit by the Dispatch to the Alfred Nzo municipality at the weekend, taxi driver Abongile Ngwane said alcohol was a major cause of assaults and deaths.
“I ferry passengers around all over this region and I have realised that a lot of people in the area drink a lot of alcohol.
“There are a lot of taverns in our communities and it is common to find six taverns in one place.
“Most of these young guys cannot afford to buy booze, so they rob and kill in order to have money for alcohol and drugs,” he said.
Samkelo Ndaba, 21, of Lady Frere, said gangsterism had crept into the Alfred Nzo municipality.
“I was raised by my unemployed mother with my three sisters and as I grew older, I realised that I had to fend for myself.”
He joined the Cool Krugers gang to gain protection from the Amavura and Amavandi gangs which ran crime in villages in the district.
“There are guys who are coming from Cape Town and Johannesburg townships who introduce the gangs in the rural areas.
“We started off by just smoking dagga, but some guys have now moved on to the heavy drugs like Mandrax, and that is why we end up seeing so much death.
“As a Cool Kruger I cannot walk in areas that belong to the other gangs. The fights are usually from drinking alcohol and smoking drugs.
“Almost every guy walks around with a knife ... you never know when you might get attacked.
“We always walk in groups, especially at night.”
Ndaba said spaza music – a genre that has been around for a few years – was also having a negative impact on their behaviour.
“A lot of the guys listen to spaza music and some of the songs make crime seem glamorous.”
He played music from one band, Amagintsa, whose trendy lyrics glorified drugs and knives.
Dispatch has reported on a number of assaults and deaths across the province from 2015.
In 2015, Dispatch reported on:
- A 65-year-old woman shot dead, allegedly by a relative, in Idutywa;
- Two women accused of witchcraft stabbed to death in Lusikisiki;
- A 15-year-old youth arrested for hacking another 15-year-old to death in Butterworth;
- In another witchcraft incident, three family members hacked to death in Butterworth; and
- A Mdantsane teen found slaughtered near her home in NU10.
The OR Tambo district municipality has had numerous reports of murders this year.
In January, a 33-year-old man was arrested for beating his 24-year-old girlfriend to death, while two Ingwe TVET college students were found burnt to death in March this year.
Taxi violence has also claimed a number of lives this year.
Two people were killed in March when a group of about 20 men shot, hacked and stabbed members of the public at the Ntalza taxi rank near Libode.
Five students were arrested and accused of killing a Walter Sisulu University medical student, Lwando Mantshontsho, in Mthatha.
In June, three people were arrested for allegedly murdering 10-year-old Liyema Dutywa in Libode.
In the same area, four men were found killed execution-style in a forest. The villagers suspected revenge for stocktheft to be the motive of the killings.
In May, in the Chris Hani district, an Engcobo tavern owner allegedly stabbed to death two elderly women he accused of witchcraft.
Eastern Cape police spokeswoman Sibongile Soci did not comment at the time of going to print yesterday. — bhongoj@tisoblackstar.co.za
EC tops list for assault deaths
Four districts in the province are among the dubious top 10 districts in South Africa for the number of deaths caused by assault.
This was revealed in a report by Statistician-General Dr Pali Lehohla at a Dispatch Dialogue at the Guild Theatre last week.
The province has the fourth-largest population in the country with 6.5 million people, and according to the 2015 report, 1758 (22%) of deaths from assault happened in the Eastern Cape out of a total of 7194 nationally.
Alfred Nzo municipality recorded the highest number of cases, followed by OR Tambo, Chris Hani and Amathole municipalities.
Eastern Cape Liquor Board spokesman Mgweba Miya said there were 3575 registered taverns in the four districts.
During a visit by the Dispatch to the Alfred Nzo municipality at the weekend, taxi driver Abongile Ngwane said alcohol was a major cause of assaults and deaths.
“I ferry passengers around all over this region and I have realised that a lot of people in the area drink a lot of alcohol.
“There are a lot of taverns in our communities and it is common to find six taverns in one place.
“Most of these young guys cannot afford to buy booze, so they rob and kill in order to have money for alcohol and drugs,” he said.
Samkelo Ndaba, 21, of Lady Frere, said gangsterism had crept into the Alfred Nzo municipality.
“I was raised by my unemployed mother with my three sisters and as I grew older, I realised that I had to fend for myself.”
He joined the Cool Krugers gang to gain protection from the Amavura and Amavandi gangs which ran crime in villages in the district.
“There are guys who are coming from Cape Town and Johannesburg townships who introduce the gangs in the rural areas.
“We started off by just smoking dagga, but some guys have now moved on to the heavy drugs like Mandrax, and that is why we end up seeing so much death.
“As a Cool Kruger I cannot walk in areas that belong to the other gangs. The fights are usually from drinking alcohol and smoking drugs.
“Almost every guy walks around with a knife ... you never know when you might get attacked.
“We always walk in groups, especially at night.”
Ndaba said spaza music – a genre that has been around for a few years – was also having a negative impact on their behaviour.
“A lot of the guys listen to spaza music and some of the songs make crime seem glamorous.”
He played music from one band, Amagintsa, whose trendy lyrics glorified drugs and knives.
Dispatch has reported on a number of assaults and deaths across the province from 2015.
In 2015, Dispatch reported on:
The OR Tambo district municipality has had numerous reports of murders this year.
In January, a 33-year-old man was arrested for beating his 24-year-old girlfriend to death, while two Ingwe TVET college students were found burnt to death in March this year.
Taxi violence has also claimed a number of lives this year.
Two people were killed in March when a group of about 20 men shot, hacked and stabbed members of the public at the Ntalza taxi rank near Libode.
Five students were arrested and accused of killing a Walter Sisulu University medical student, Lwando Mantshontsho, in Mthatha.
In June, three people were arrested for allegedly murdering 10-year-old Liyema Dutywa in Libode.
In the same area, four men were found killed execution-style in a forest. The villagers suspected revenge for stocktheft to be the motive of the killings.
In May, in the Chris Hani district, an Engcobo tavern owner allegedly stabbed to death two elderly women he accused of witchcraft.
Eastern Cape police spokeswoman Sibongile Soci did not comment at the time of going to print yesterday. — bhongoj@tisoblackstar.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos