Machete gangs terrorise Bulawayo residents

Gangs of robbers wielding machetes are terrorising Bulawayo residents at their homes and business premises, police have raised alarm.

Fifteen cases have been reported in the last two weeks.

The latest victim is a 52-year-old man, Langelihle Dube from Lobengula West suburb who ran a tuck shop at his house and a car park in the suburb and was killed in cold blood by a machete gang and robbed of US$24.

Speaking during a press conference, Thursday, at Rose Camp, Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said the machete gangs are mostly targeting the western suburbs.

"When the robbers attacked Langelihle who is an owner of a carpark, they fought with him until his wife woke up trying to check what was going on, she was pushed back into the bedroom and the door closed," said Inspector Ncube.

"The robbers got away with US$24 and when the wife later got out of the bedroom to check on her husband, she found him seated on a sofa with a stable wound on the thigh, she called an ambulance and made a report to the police and when the ambulance came they rendered first aid but he died before he was taken to the hospital."

He appealed to the members of the public to assist the police in tracking down the suspects.

"We have a number of community policing initiatives in place that we can utilize. We have hotlines that members of the public can use, even calling police stations," said Insp Ncube.

"I recall two months ago, we managed to apprehend a serial rapist who had raped more than 25 victims because of participation from members of the public, we managed to apprehend that person and he is exactly where he belongs."

Inspector Ncube appealed to residents to report any person who is in possession of dangerous weapons.

"We encourage and invite members of the public to come on board, contact us and we are going to be talking even through social media to say let's come together and fight this crime," he urged.