INDVUNA SHOT DEAD IN ‘REVENGE’ ATTACK

MKHITSINI – Mkhitsini Indvuna yemcuba Mbongeleni Vilakati was shot dead yesterday in a supposed revenge attack.

Vilakati had been accused of having shot another resident of the area early this year. The incident happened at Mkhitsini around 11am yesterday. His death comes after that of Mlondi Mndzebele, who was allegedly shot by Mkhitsini Chief Mfukama Mndzebele recently. Vilakati was working closely with the chief and since Mndzebele’s incident, he fled the area and had been in hiding in fear of some residents who had threatened him. On Sunday morning, Vilakati’s homestead was torched by unknown people.

Homestead

Leading to his death, it was said that Vilakati was called and told that his homestead had been torched. Narrating the incident, Mbongeleni’s daughter Nokuthula Vilakati said her father came to the area yesterday morning to assess the damage as a result of the arson at his home. In fact, according to Nokuthula, her father told her that he called the Hlatikhulu police to report that there had been an arson attack at his homestead.  “My father told me that the police officer he spoke to said they were scared to go to Mkhitsini hence he should go take pictures of the damage at his home and bring them to the police station to record statements,” narrated Nokuthula.  She said her father, upon arrival yesterday, requested that the pictures be taken as he had intended to take them to the police today.  Nokuthula was with her father when the pictures were being taken.

According to Nokuthula, having assessed the damage, her father got ready to head back as he had initially used public transport to get to the area while she had planned to leave later for her marital home which is around the area.  She said moments after he left, they heard gunshots, only to be later told that it was her father who has been shot. Together with other family members, they rushed to the scene, where they found her father’s body lying on the ground. It was established that Mbongeleni had prior admitted to the police that he once shot a resident, after he and others attacked him at his home in a dispute over fields. This incident happened early this year.

However, the man denied being shot by the indvuna when he was approached by the police at the time. It was established that he told the police that he was drunk and he only recalled being shot but did not see the shooter hence he could not open a case against Mbongeleni. Information further sourced was that Mbongeleni was, therefore, never arrested but his gun was taken by the police and had been with them since. Nokuthula confirmed that her father had received threats last week that his homestead was next to be set alight as he was working with the chief and because of the shooting incident. She stated that he left the place the day after Mndzebele’s shooting incident and had been living in the mountains with their mother. She said she decided to go take her mother to a safe place as she was sickly and her father said he would stay behind and were only communicating through phone calls.

Meanwhile, some residents further said the community was not happy with the indvuna as he was not serving the interests of the people in as far as community matters were concerned. It was alleged that he was always siding with the chief and they would make judgments that favoured them.  One of the residents alleged that the deceased would even demand to be bought liquor, which angered a lot of residents.  “The hatred among others against Vilakati was so much that it was hard to greet him even on the streets,” said one resident.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: