Emjindini township is in the grip of gangs who rule, rob, hack and assault as they wish. The community fears these ruthless young men who have no respect for the lives of others.
Worst of all, is the fact that there are no suggestions for solutions from leadership on how to curb them.
Unlike other gangs, who usually use guns to attack and rob people, this new generation prefers to use pangas and knives. They sometimes just attack people whenever they feel like it, without taking their personal belongings such as cellphones and wallets.
I grew up in this township of Emjindini and it is a badge I still wear with pride wherever I go. I think we should be proud of where we come from. Emjindini was one of the coolest townships in Mpumalanga. I am not trying to romanticise the place, but I grew up knowing that in this peaceful township no serious crime was committed or reported.
People used to walk freely on the streets, day and night, hold social gatherings on their lawns, comfortable and leaving their cars unlocked in the driveways, without the fear of being attacked. But nowadays, almost every section and street line has its own gang. Walking from one section, especially at night, means that one is leaving one gang’s territory and entering another.
Every couple of weeks, the issue of panga attacks in Emjindini. raises its ugly head. The situation has reached crisis point and action is imperative. We need to involve ourselves as the citizens of Emjindini in the effort to eradicate this scourge. Failure to do so will mean that the gangs will continue to thrive and rule.
I would like to be able to walk at night from one section of Emjindini to another without fear of trespassing a gang’s territory and running the risk of being mugged or even killed.
