Fezile Nganlama is a skilled fitter and turner who works for our company in Milnerton. He lives in Khayelitsha. On the night of Wednesday 27th of February two armed men entered his house demanding cash and cell phones. When these were handed over, one burglar instructed the other to “shoot the woman in the head.” Through either inexperience or excitement the bullet entered her upper chest at an angle and exited through her shoulder blade. The burglars fled. Fezile’s wife is pregnant.
After getting her to Tygerberg Hospital, Fezile went to the Harare police station to make a statement. This took until the following Monday to finalise as he had to attend to his wife who was in agony and couldn’t be given strong painkillers.
Since that time the police have not visited his home or conducted a crime scene investigation. For them it appears to be just another paperwork exercise.
If Fezile’s experience is anything to go by, is it any wonder that the people of Khayelitsha have taken the law into their own hands? The mob killing of Mido Macia is just another horrific illustration of how far effective policing has broken down.
Minister Nathi Mthethwa must stop trying to neuter the inquiry into police inefficiency by squandering millions on an appeal to the Constitutional Court. Instead he must give it his full support.
James Cunningham, Cape Times, March 2013