ST AUGUSTINE'S MASOTSHENI ? IS IT JEALOUSY OR JUST BEING TERRITORIAL?

WHAT A NIGHTMARE

Speech Nyembe was a good friend of mine , during my high school days , after returning from Amangwe High School , in EMpangeni to do my final year of high school back at home , in St Augustine's Masotsheni . My long time friend from 1969 , had completed his high school by the time we both returned from EMpangeni , and got himself a clerical job at the Madadeni Magistrates offices , in Newcastle . I used to visit my friend Muzomuhle in Newcastle occasionally during this period . Speech Nyembe and I were both doing our final year in high school at the time . Speech Nyembe was from Sibongile Township , in Dundee . He was renting a house with two other fellows ,Siyabonga and Maphufu ,who were also from Sibongile Township . The three of them were good friends of mine . We shared the love of music amongst the four of us , and a good taste of fashion . These were times when brands like Brentwood , Christian Dior , Crockett &Jones , Saxon , Lee , Pierre Cardin , were in fashion .
My friend Muzomuhle had been working in Newcastle , so Speech Nyembe and I arranged a weekend visit to go to Newcastle to see my friend Muzomuhle . We have always shared this deep love of music with my friend Muzomuhle over the years as well . During this period , we were mostly listening to Jazz . We had a collection of artists like , Stanley Turrentine , Jimmy Smith , Groover Washington , Gene Ammons , Dollar Brand ( Abdullah Ibrahim) , Lee Oskar and a couple of others .
So our visit with Speech Nyembe was going to be a special Jazz listening weekend , coupled with fellowship and laughter . We were all looking forward to that visit . Driving to Newcastle from my village is just under an hour's drive , but those days , it took us almost ten hours  just to get to Newcastle because of Public transport challenges , catching an afternoon bus to Glencoe train station . On our arrival at the train station , we would wait  for the 8 pm train from Durban en route to Johannesburg . This train arrived in Newcastle station just before midnight , and private taxis made deliveries to the surrounding townships , including Madadeni Township where my friend Muzomuhle lived .

We had discussed with Speech Nyembe , what type of outfit we were going to bring along , our preparations for that trip were spot on . Muzomuhle was excitingly looking forward to our visit , the feeling was mutual , we couldn't wait either , we were already counting down days during that week of our imminent visit .
That day arrived , and we took the bus to Glencoe train station and then took the train to Newcastle , we arrived in Newcastle station just before midnight . We then took a private delivery taxi , we were at Muzomuhle's place just after midnight .
Muzomuhle was sharing a property with his other work colleagues , each one of them having their own private rooms but sharing the kitchen area .
This property belonged to the government , in fact , it was among a few other properties that belonged to the government , in Madadeni Township , Section 5 . All of these properties were similarly occupied by public servants .
My friend Muzomuhle had been patiently waiting for us , so upon our arrival , excitement filled up the room right up to the rafters . We had some snacks and catched up a bit , while music at the background was gradually setting the tone for that super special weekend visit and get together . It wasn't long after our arrival , that we had a door knock , Muzomuhle attended to the knock . He slightly closed the door behind him as he ventured out . We didn't really take much notice of his movements , we were busy chatting while he exited . His  unpleasant sudden return , caught us off guard , within that short space of time of his exit , he came back without his shoes and Jersey on . He had been robbed , right on the doorstep of his room , what a traumatic experience this was . The criminals were forging ahead to ransack Muzomuhle's hood , with or without us . We ran to the kitchen to take some cover , while the criminals who evidently out numbered us , wielding their sharp knives , helped themselves , collecting
whatever item of value they laid their eyes on . By the time we returned to the room , they had cleaned us out . Our bags , with our special outfits , Muzomuhle's monthly groceries , his outfit in the wardrobe had all gone . That crime execution plan was ruthless in it's entirety , Muzomuhle told us that , they stripped him of his cardigan Jersey without unbuttoning it and stripped him off his shoes with untied laces . Our visit had been gravely interrupted . Muzomuhle had been hit with a blunt object on his head . Everything had happened so fast .

We have revisited this ordeal on several occasions , and each time , my friend Muzomuhle accuses me of having handed him over to the criminals . I have always maintained that , there is very little we could have done in that situation , we were honestly caught off guard . We had initially thought that , Muzomuhle was talking to one of his neighbors , he had slightly closed the door behind him, and so we couldn't  have been able to pick up any peculiar situation
from his actions until his unpleasant return .
THIS WAS INDEED A NIGHTMARE .

THE FACE OF CRIME

The crime incident that I have just shared , forms part of South Africa's crime statistics of 1983 . Recent crime statistics ,unfortunately, seem to suggest that South Africa still has a high rate of violent crimes , like assault , murder , rape , hijacking , compared to most countries . Statistics indicate that , mainly , crime affect poorer communities .
The Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation was approached by the South African government in the month of February, 2007 to conduct a study on the nature of crime in South Africa (Wikipedia.org). The study pointed out different factors which contributed to high levels of violence .
I would like to look at the findings of this study in detail .
Violence and non-violent crimes in South Africa , according the Study , could be ascribed to the following ;

. The normalization of violence .
Violence is seem as a necessary and
justified way of resolving conflict

. A subculture of violence and
criminality, ranging from individual
criminals who rape or rob , to
informal groups or formalized
gangs . Those involved in subculture
are engaged in criminal careers and
commonly use firearms .

. The vulnerability of young people
linked to inadequate child-rearing
and poor youth socialization . As a
result of poverty ,unstable living
arrangements and being brought up
with inconsistent and uncaring
parenting , some South African
are exposed to risk factors which
increase the chances that they will
become involved in criminality and
violence .

. The huge levels of inequality ,
poverty , unemployment , social
exclusion and marginalization .

. Many South African police work long
hours out of under-resourced police
stations . Many police stations lack
basic office equipment , such as
photocopiers , fax machines , while
their only phone line is often busy .

. Many police officers are tempted by
offers from the criminal underworld
, especially when their superiors and
seniors are visibly on the take .
A 2019 survey by Global Corruption
Barometer Africa suggested that the
South African Police Service is seen
as the most corrupt institution in the
country .

. South Africa's Criminal Justice
Budget was subject to plunder by
corrupt police officials at least
during the period from 1997 to
2017 . The massive inside job
involved over twenty persons in the
SAPS top brass , and probes into
these activities necessitated the
discontinuation of some essential
policing services .

. Ammunition and firearms are
regularly stolen from the security
forces , and it is feared that these
may be used in other crimes .

There you go , the Study findings were worrying by then , and they are still worrying now . More especially because the graph has all the time been showing an upward movement .