Conflicting accounts over killing of teen in Mossel Bay

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A grieving mother’s cry for justice pierced through rising tensions in Mossel Bay on Tuesday after her 19-year-old son was stabbed to death following unrest in the Garden Route town.

Nhlamulo Sambo was killed in KwaNonqaba township during the early hours of Sunday amid chaos linked to protests reportedly targeting foreign nationals.

His mother, Patricia, believes he was killed because some community members thought he was a foreigner.

“My child is South African. He is Tsonga — from Limpopo,” she said.

However, Western Cape police commissioner General Thembisile Patekile, who visited the family alongside other senior officers, said investigators did not at this point believe Sambo’s killing was driven by xenophobia.

Western Cape police commissioner General Thembisile Patekile addresses the community in Mossel Bay (Siphokazi Mnyobe)

He confirmed that the police were on high alert after shacks were burnt down in the area.

According to Sambo’s family, he was killed during riots allegedly linked to protests against foreign nationals.

They said he was attacked and fatally stabbed in his shack by a mob who, according to a witness, allegedly thought he was an immigrant.

Patekile, however, was confident that Sambo’s death was not connected to the recent unrest which had unfolded at about the same time.

Patekile, who spent some time in Mossel Bay on Tuesday, said according to preliminary investigations, Sambo was allegedly stabbed to death by a shack owner after the youngster and a friend were reportedly caught stealing.

“On May 31, at about 2am, the police were informed of the body of a [19-year-old] male with stab wounds to his side.”

He said it was alleged the deceased and his 15-year-old friend had entered someone’s shack with the purpose of stealing.

“They were [allegedly] accosted by the owner of the shack who arrived while they were still inside.

“The owner of the shack chased them.

“The 15-year-old hid under the bed while the deceased ran outside, where he was caught and allegedly stabbed to death.”

Patekile said for this reason it was believed the incident was not related to the reported unrest on Friday night and Saturday morning.

“We know who the suspect is,” he said.

“All we have to do is find him.

“The police are working around the clock looking for the suspect.”

Patekile said two foreign nationals were killed in Mossel Bay at the weekend and that detectives had been assigned to investigate the two murder cases.

The victims, aged 27 and 43, were both from Mozambique.

The police had been called out to the area during the early hours of Saturday, where the body of a 27-year-old man was discovered with multiple injuries.

Shortly thereafter a second man, who had also been assaulted, was discovered.

The 43-year-old was declared dead on arrival at hospital.

Patekile said an arson docket had also been opened in relation to the shack fires.

Sambo’s mother, Patricia, said on the night of his death, he had asked his 15-year-old friend to sleep at his shack.

“At about 3am on Sunday, the 15-year-old boy ran to my shack and reported that a mob had arrived there, demanding to know my son’s nationality.

“The friend said Nhlamulo was scared and had tried to hide,” she said.

“They [the alleged mob] asked Nhlamulo where he was from and then proceeded to attack him, stabbing him to death.

“The boy said my son tried to explain that he was South African but no-one would listen.

“He then tried to convince them to look at his ID.”

The grieving mother said many Xitsonga-speaking people in the area were now afraid for their lives.

Patekile confirmed this, saying 10 Xitsonga-speaking people who feared for their lives had since been moved to a safe space where 400 South Africans and foreign nationals who had been displaced were staying at present.