Auxilia Katongomara Chronicle Reporter
FEAR has gripped Esigodini following the horrific murder of a gold miner who was brutally axed before his body was placed on a road where it was run over by a car.Residents yesterday told The Chronicle they were living in fear as Sunday’s incident was the third of its kind in six months and no suspects had been arrested.

Passersby found a bloody Khuzanani Mahlangu, 29, lying in the middle of the Esigodini-Falcon road, about 400 metres from Esigodini Police Station at about 4AM.

Mahlangu died at the United Bulawayo Hospitals on Monday where he had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit following the brutal attack.

The late Mahlangu was a miner at Red Rosse gold mine and his death follows the brutal murder of two other small scale gold miners who were killed in similar fashion in the area.

In October last year, Kwanele Moyo, 39, was brutally axed and his body was placed on a railway line and a train sliced it into two.

The gory incident occurred in Habane Township.

In January this year, a gold panner, Zothile Moyo’s body was found dumped on a railway line with  missing parts and stab wounds that led police to believe he had been stabbed before being thrown onto the railway line.

The body was discovered without an arm while the heart had been ripped out and a leg was chopped off.

Residents yesterday appealed for urgent intervention by higher authorities as they claimed the murders were linked to turf wars between gold barons in the area.

A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, claimed that the suspect behind the murders is well-known in Esigodini but police were reluctant to act.

Speaking to The Chronicle, Mahlangu’s brother-in-law, Lovemore Munatsi said he spent Saturday with the deceased at the local shops where they were drinking before he left him to go home.

“I was shocked when we received a phone call at around 4AM that there was someone resembling him who had been run over by a car. On our way to the scene we met an ambulance ferrying him to the local hospital,” said Munatsi.

He said Mahlangu was referred to the UBH as he had serious injuries.

“He had a deep cut on the forehead, one under the left eye, his left arm and leg were chopped three times with an axe. Doctors said he also suffered internal injuries,” said Munatsi.

He said Mahlangu’s attackers left a 500ml blood stained bottle but police did not take it as evidence.

Munatsi said Mahlangu was last seen heavily drunk, sleeping on a veranda at a local pub.

“It’s very painful to lose a relative in such circumstances. What’s more saddening is that this is the third such murder in the area and police have failed to bring the culprits to book.

“Everyone is now living in fear as we don’t know who will be killed next,” said Munatsi.

Mahlangu’s grandfather, Joseph Ndlovu said: “We’re not comfortable with these incidents that keep on occurring. As residents we look to the police to help us.”

Chairperson of the crime and consecutive committee Umzingwane district, Sipho Tshili said he was worried about the increase in crime in Esigodini.

He said residents were planning a meeting with the police to find a solution.

“At least there should be some arrests. It can’t just be killings all over the place,” said Tshili.

Residents blamed the police for failing to curb crime in the area.

“When there is a gold rush, police are quickly sent to conduct patrols. But when we’ve a crisis like this, police are nowhere to be found,” said a resident who identified herself as MaDube.

Mahlangu was buried yesterday at Habane Cemetery.

Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele could not be reached for comment last night

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