Following the killing and discovery of a young boy’s body stashed in a bag in Nyanga last week, the Nyanga Spiritual Crime Prevention Forum (SCPF) and various community stakeholders held a special prayer on Friday 26 August to denounce crime in the area.
The boy, who has since been described as Isiphile September (8), was found at Sagwityi Street in Crossroads on Friday 19 August (“Ufunyenw’ elahliwe umntwana”, City Vision, 25 August).
The incident triggered anger and shock in the community and spurred residents into action.
The prayer, which was organised by the SCPF, was also attended by the Nyanga Youth Desk, Nyanga Community Policing Forum, Nyanga police officers and Crossroads residents.
Rev Mawande Lugongolo, chair of Nyanga SCPF, said their aim was to commemorate the lost life and to encourage the community to unite against crime.
He called on the community to reclaim their streets from the criminals. “We are saddened by the brutal killings of a young child by heartless people. We need to unite as communities and fight against crime. Our women and children are not safe at all in our societies,” he said.
Lugongolo stated that police alone cannot win the battle against crime.
Const Nandisa Mpengesi, for Social Crime Prevention Unity in Nyanga Police Station, said they urge the residents to be vocal against gender-based violence (GBV) or any wrongdoing that is happening in communities. She called on all community stakeholders to work closely with the police.
“We are appealing to the residents not to stay in abusive relationships,” she said.
Nyanga CPF secretary Dumisani Qwebe stated that the killings create a bad image about the vicinity. “As community stakeholders are trying by all means to fight crime. We need the community to be part of us because we believe these culprits are among us in our communities. These culprits are our uncles, brothers, fathers and nephews. There is no way that we can’t find the culprits if they are from the same area,” said Qwebe and urged parents to stop hiding their children when they committed a crime.
Police spokesperson Col Andre Traut said the circumstances surrounding the death of an unknown boy believed to be aged between four to seven is under police investigation.
