Zimpapers Logo

On Monday robbers reportedly pounced on schoolchildren at a railway line between Cowdray Park and Emakhandeni.
The pupils were going to Cowdray Park after knocking off from school at Mtshingwe Primary School in Emakhandeni near the railway line separating the two suburbs.
They took away the pupils’ shoes before disappearing into the bush along the railway line.

The robbers are reportedly targeting school shoes, satchels and the little pocket money children would be having.
Although police said they were yet to receive a formal report, residents of Cowdray Park and Luveve whose children go across the railway line on their way to school said they were now living in fear because of the muggers.

Police spokesperson for Bulawayo Province Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo urged members of the community to  report such cases so that criminal activities could be nipped in the bud.
“We have not yet received such a report officially but would want to urge people to go and make a report at the nearest police station so that we respond on time,” he said.

Parents now accompany their children to school and   pick them up when they dismiss for fear they will fall victim to the robbers who are reportedly wreaking havoc in the suburb.
Some of the parents reportedly now take turns  with their neighbours to accompany the children to and from school.
Chronicle spotted some parents accompanying their children on Tuesday.

“Some children were robbed at the railway line while coming from school on Monday. The robbers took away shoes and money,” said a woman who chose to remain anonymous.
Some children could be seen walking in groups and they said they had been instructed not to move alone or in small groups to avoid being mugged.

“We just heard from children saying it was announced at school that they should not move alone because there are robbers around. We are now being forced to accompany them because we cannot watch while their lives are in danger.

“We hope the police and responsible authorities will move in quickly before the criminals wreak more havoc. We have a lot of work to do and we cannot afford to continue accompanying them,” said a resident in the suburb who was walking home with a group of children.