THOHOYANDOU – AN ANGRY Zimbabwean labourer, who allegedly kidnapped a 4-year-old South African girl, crossed the border and held her hostage for eight months in Zimbabwe to force her father to pay R1 550 he alleged he was owed.
South African National Civics Association (Sanco) in Khubvi chairperson, Anna Netshishivhe, said little Zwoluga Nephawe from Khubvi village near Sibasa was allegedly kidnapped from her home and taken to Zimbabwe in April last year after her father, Zwikondafhi Nephawe, allegedly failed to pay R1 550 to a Zimbabwean Tawanda Munyama whom he hired to make bricks.
Netshishivhe said the girl’s father hired a group of Zimbabweans to make bricks in February last year. She said when the Zimbabwean foreigners finished their job; he allegedly did not pay them.
“They reportedly visited his homestead several times demanding their money but he never paid them. They became discouraged and gave up trying to get their money, except for Munyama, who opened a case at the Sibasa police station and also requested assistance from the local chief,” she said.
“In April last year, Munyama cornered Nephawe about the outstanding money and he said the money was with his 24-year-old wife, Dakalo. He went to Nephawe’s wife to get the money but discovered on arrival that he was lying.
He threatened to take one of Nephawe’s three children hostage to force Nephawe to pay his debts. He grabbed Zwoluga and vanished with her.
He went to Zimbabwe and held her hostage for eight months,” she alleged.
Netshishivhe said news of the kidnapping only reached Sanco’s ears the day before Christmas. She said the community policing forum (CPF) also heard of the incident then.
CPF leader, Christian Ramulifho, said they collected R2 620 and gave it to a trustworthy Zimbabwean man, Able Rimai, to go to Zimbabwe and check at Munyama’s home if Zwoluga was there.
“I met with one of the elders who ignored me, but later showed Zwoluga to me after I produced her birth certificate with a South African stamp. I saw her playing with Munyama’s children.
“On New Year’s Day, I went to collect her, but Munyama’s wife refused to give her to me. I told her she would be arrested. She then allowed me to take the little girl with me.”
He said when he arrived at the Beitbridge border; he was stopped by Zimbabwe police.
“They arrested me for human trafficking after she told them her father was Nephawe in Venda and I was Rimai from Zimbabwe. I told them the truth and showed them her birth certificate, They released me and I crossed the border.”
He said the girl had been reunited with her parents and the Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Programme (TVEP) was also being utilised.
Ramulifho said Zwoluga was under the care of the TVEP.
She said she had the scars of whiplashes across her back and has cut marks, possibly from a razor blade, on her body. “She speaks Shona and finds it difficult to speak her mother tongue, Tshi-Venda.”
TVEP director, Fiona Nicholson, said the girl was “highly traumatised” and only sessions with a psychologist would confirm if she was assaulted. Thohoyandou police spokesperson, Maj Mashudu Malelo said when the child disappeared; her mother opened a case with the Thohoyandou police. He said the police were now investigating the case as a kidnapping.
