By Paul Mzizi
A group of gold planners is reportedly causing havoc in Nkwidzi area, Matshetsheni, indiscriminately beating up villagers at the local shopping center for no apparent reason, CITE has learnt.
Villagers say the group is working under the name of Sengwe Stars.
“They come to the shops and start beating up people. Just last week, they moved around the shops, shouting obscenities, and beating up people. Shops had to be closed at 4 pm,” said a villager who witnessed the fracas.
A businessman at Nkwidzi said the group was disturbing their operations.
“Well pay rent here and then these thugs come and disturb our business. We lose a lot of money because of these gold planners,” he said.
He said the police need to intervene.
“The police need to come here and stamp their authority,” he said.
A local kraal head said the police have to come back to them if they are failing to contain the situation.
“We know the boys who are causing all these problems. We can call them to a meeting and discipline them if the police are finding it difficult to deal with them,” he said.
Matabeleland South police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele said the police had not yet received such a report.
“We have not yet been informed about the existence of such a group,” said Ndebele, speaking through his assistant, Loveness Mangena.
