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NOT A MERRY CHRISTMAS AS 12 LIVES LOST

28/12/2022 13:04:00 Sibusiso Zwane

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MANZINI – Not a peaceful Christmas!

This is because the number of people who were murdered during the long Christmas weekend increased by 80 per cent compared to those recorded last year. However, the number of overall deaths decreased by 14.1 per cent this year compared to last year and this was due to a decline in road traffic accidents and drowning incidents. According to reports released by the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), the Christmas weekend ended tragically for some individuals as a total of 12 lives ended in tragic circumstances, inclusive of murder, road traffic accident and drowning. The incidents took place across the four regions of the country between Friday December 23, 2022 and Monday December 26, 2022.

Murdered

A majority of the incidents (nine) were murders, while two died in a road traffic accident and one drowned. The police reports reflected that the number of deaths, which were reported to the law enforcement agency this year, decreased by two compared to that of last year - 14, which is 14.1 per cent decline. However, the number of people who were murdered increased by 80 per cent from five that was recorded last year to nine this year. Again, during this time last year, three road traffic accidents were recorded and three people died, while this year, only one accident was reported to the police where two lives were lost. On the same note, during the same period last year, three drowning incidents were recorded, but this year, only one incident was reported. Last year, there were also two fire incidents and two lives were lost, yet this time, no fire incident was recorded.

Hacked

According to the police reports, at around 4am on Saturday December 24, 2022, a 60-year-old man of Makhava, Hluthi in the Shiselweni Region, died after he was hacked with a sharp object on the head before he was set alight. The incident took place at Makhava. Again, at around 8am on Saturday December 24, 2022, a 24-year-old man of Nkonjane in the Hhohho Region died after he was stabbed several times all over the body by two men. The incident took place at Zibonele in Pigg’s Peak. On the same day, a 30-year-old man of Ngcina was shot dead in broad daylight (at around 2:30pm) while at Luhhwahhweni in Siteki. The matter was reported at Siteki Police Station and the police are investigating it. The police reports also stated that in the early hours of Christmas Day, at around 1:45am, a 30-year-old man of Fontotje, Pigg’s Peak, was stabbed with a sharp object once in the chest and he later died due to the stabbing. The matter was reported at Pigg’s Peak Police Station.

Again, in the same day at around 6:10am, a 72-year-old man of Mpelamandla, Hluthi in the Shiselweni Region, was stoned to death. Also, at around 10:50am on Christmas Day, an 18-year-old man of Mahwalala in Mbabane, in the Hhohho Region, died after being stabbed with a sharp object once in the back. The incident took place at Mahwalala. Later on during Christmas, at around 4pm, a 50-year-old woman of Khalangilile died after being stabbed with a sharp object three times in the chest and left breast. The matter was attended by law enforcers from Malkerns Police Station.

Furthermore, on Boxing Day, two more people were murdered at Siphofaneni in the Lubombo Region. The first incident took place at around 4am, whereby a 26-year-old man of Msabane died after being stabbed twice with a sharp object. He was stabbed once in the back and neck. The other incident took place at around 11pm and in this case, a 37-year-old man of Madvuma died after being stabbed four times with a sharp object; twice in the chest and in the arms while at Siphofaneni.

Overturned

On another note, on Christmas Day at around 10pm, a man lost control of his Toyota Alphard sedan and it overturned several times. The accident happened at Mangweni, along Mangweni/Tshaneni D35 Public Road. Two passengers aged 21 and 25 years old of Nhlanguyavuka sustained serious injuries and were rushed to Mhlume Clinic and Mkhuzweni Health Centre, respectively, where they were certified dead upon arrival. Meanwhile, the driver and two other passengers aged 26 and 19 years, all from Nhlanguyavuka, were treated and discharged from Mhlume Clinic and Dvokolwako Health Centre, respectively.

Drowned

On the other hand, on Boxing Day, at around 6pm, a 57-year-old man of Mahlabatsini drowned while crossing Julu River at eSikhaleni Sempisi, Gege in the Shiselweni Region. Meanwhile, the Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, who was asked about the statistics, mainly the decline in road traffic accidents and drowning, together with the increase in number of murder cases, said they were yet to do their own analysis. She said she would only comment about it after they had done their analysis.