Police crack down on gold wars

POLICE in Matabeleland South have embarked on crime awareness campaigns in Esigodini aimed at reducing gold wars that have resulted in violent clashes in the area.

Matabeleland South Province police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele on Wednesday said violent activities that have been taking place in Habane Township have become a cause for concern.

Speaking during the campaign Insp Ndebele said: "About 110 assaults cases have been recorded in Esigodini since the beginning of the year. People in the township are brutally assaulting each other and they have been in the habit of moving around carrying axes and machetes for quite some time."

Insp Ndebele said police were pleading with Esigodini residents to live in peace and harmony. Esigodini has over the past months become a centre of violence as rival gangs fight over gold in the area. Some of the gangs openly patrol the area carrying dangerous weapons. Residents have also claimed that some of the gangs were now armed with guns instilling fear among the people.

Speaking at the same occasion, officer commanding operations Gwanda District Superintendent Stephen Mutema said in as much as he understood that the area is a business area, people must not victimise each other and urged them to desist from violence.