"I told them to run away when they see these gangs who terrorise the community and schools, but when they tried to stab his brother again, he had to help. He died trying to save his brother."
These are the words of pensioner Virginia Dube, whose grandson Wandisa Patrick Nyawo was killed while trying to save his younger brother from being stabbed by street gangs terrorising the community of Ermelo, Mpumalanga.
The brutal murder happened just four days after 19-year-old Nyawo's younger brother was stabbed by the gangs.
Police said this was the first killing to happen at the school – Cebisa Secondary School – in which gangs were involved.
Dube, the sister to slain reggae legend Lucky Dube, said she is shocked that her grandson was killed by the same gangs she had been warning the boys about.
"First, my brother Lucky Dube died from a gunshot, my son got stabbed and now my grandchild is dead from being stabbed.
"It hits hard because Wandisa was a respectful child who I always sent to get my pension money from the bank and he would be the one doing the shopping.
"I'm shocked and very hurt. My grandson was defending his younger brother. His younger brother was stabbed on Friday [August 12]. Wandisa was attacked on Tuesday [August 16].
Dube said she had hope that Wandisa would one day help her build a proper house for the family as the one they live in now is old.
Mpumalanga MEC for community safety, security and liaisons Vusi Shongwe and Ermelo police held an imbizo on Sunday aimed at getting the community to work with them to curb gangsterism.
Community members told Shongwe that they are scared to even let their children go to schools because they might be killed.
"We need help that will end gangsterism because these people are killing our children and even elders are not safe because once you are a threat to these gangs, they visit you at home; I'm a victim of that too.
"We need more police visibility and resources to deal with the problem," said community member Mandla Zwane.
Shongwe said one teenager has been arrested for the murder of Nyawo.
"What is painful is that these children who are gang members, you parents gave birth to them and you are allowing your children to come back in the morning with goods yet you know that they might have been stolen or robbed other people of these items.
"Just last week at Cebisa Secondary School, a child was killed by these gangs. These gangs had been expelled [from] the school after stabbing another child but came back armed and killed this other child. We managed to arrest a gang member who was hiding between Ermelo and Breyten," said Shongwe.
He said working with the police, they managed to get names of the gangs.
"These are gangs calling themselves Stragel, Juda, Wrong Turn and Black Cats and Team Ellesse. We promise that working with the community, we shall end this.
"We heard that last weekend, the groups sent messages that they will be fighting each other and the community must not get out because there would be collateral damage.
"We can't have people scared of little children who are carrying knives and guns when we have parents and the police to work together," said Shongwe.
He said Barberton, Elukwatini and Tjakastad also had problems with gangsterism.
"We have in all these places work with municipalities and the department of social development to move these children from drugs.
"Human settlements working with local municipalities will help in identifying old and empty buildings which are used by these gangs and demolish them," said Shongwe.
newsdesk@sowetan.co.za
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