Xhorha Mouth Administrative Area, Eastern Cape – On Thursday, 5 September 2024, over 350 residents from Xhorha Mouth villages in the former Transkei marched to Elliotdale Police Station demanding urgent action from the South African Police Service (SAPS) to deal with the recent surge in violent crimes plaguing our communities.
In recent years, Xhorha Mouth has seen a significant increase in criminal activities, including assault, burglaries, hijackings, kidnappings, and extortion. These incidents, and the absence of arrests, have stripped the community from their safety and peace of mind.
“The residents of Xhora Mouth live in fear; criminals from outside our villages come here to commit crimes over and over again, and in all of these cases no one is arrested. We don’t see any police coming here to protect us,” said Headman, Ntsikelelo Mbangasini.
In a memorandum handed over to Elliotdale SAPS at the march, the community cited several disturbing incidents such as the recent violent attack on the founders of the Bulungula Backpackers Lodge and Bulungula Incubator, who were brutally assaulted and extorted in their home. Other incidents include the hijacking and kidnapping of a woman and her son earlier this year, burglary of the Health Point Clinic and burglary of the Bulungula Backpackers Lodge.
Our urgent demands to SAPS were as follows:
- Fast-track the construction of a police station at Tafalehashe.
- Establish a satellite police station in Folokhwe Village.
- Deploy a police vehicle to Nqileni Village for regular patrols and coordination with the Community Policing Forum.
- Arrest perpetrators involved in recent criminal activities.
The memorandum was signed by Chief of the Jalamba Traditional Council, Zwelikhanyile Gwebindlala, Headman Ntsikelelo Mbangasini on behalf of the Traditional Board, Ward 28 Councillor, Phumzile Msaro, Ward 19 Councillor, Phumelele Metu, Principal of the Bulungula College, Siyabulela Matshayana, Board Member of the Bulungula Incubator, Lindile Mthiyo, Manager of the Bulungula Backpackers Lodge, Andiswa Tshayiso, Director of The Equality Collective, Tess Peacock, and Director of Viva con Agua South Africa, Ajay Paul.
It was received and signed on 5 September 2024 by Captain C.S Mngeniso from Elliotdale Police Station who promised to send it to the Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner and Mthatha Police Station’s Investigation Unit.
The community asked for a response from SAPS by no later than 20 September 2024 and called for urgent intervention before the situation escalates any further. We were encouraged to see a police van patrolling our villages on Friday night, 6 September 2024, and we hope to see this continue.
For further inquiries or more information, please contact:
Ntsikelelo Mbangasini, Headman: 073 196 1356 / 073 216 6386
