Murdered for R100 — that is how cheap life is in SA. The emotional cost to the victim’s family, however, is immeasurable. As happens all too often, it was an act of kindness that precipitated the death of KwaDwesi reverend Malinge Mjele, who also operated a taxi to put food on the table.
Mjele was the second man of God to be gunned down in the Bay in less than six months.
Pastor Ryno Plaatjies was shot dead last year while sitting in his parked vehicle in a busy street outside a northern areas primary school where he had just dropped off his teacher daughter.
Both men had connections to the taxi industry — though their deaths do not appear to be related — one as the chair of a taxi association and the other as a driver trying to make a living.
Both were good men in the prime of their lives and their deaths have been a huge loss for their communities.
On Wednesday, Mjele left home to pick up his regular passengers for their daily commute to Summerstrand.
On the way, he was flagged down by two men looking for a lift to a Central taxi rank.
Though it was out of his way, Mjele told them to hop in and he would drop them off there.
However, he had barely pulled away when the men pulled out guns and shot him, grabbed his wallet containing the small amount of cash and fled.
What an indictment on our society that it is often our inherent goodness that leads to our demise.
Whether it is a woman going inside to make sandwiches for “hungry” people at her gate, and then being murdered by them, as has happened in the Bay, or people doing good in their communities who are targeted by criminals, being kind and caring has carried too high a price for too many.
The sadness is that this makes other good people think twice about extending a helping hand.
Thus the losers, at the end of the end of the day, besides the victims’ families, are the communities and individuals who would benefit from the kindness and generosity of others.
This city is crying out for visible policing. Where is it?
Where are the much-talked about drones and promised repairs to the CCTV-cameras?
The Bay desperately needs action — not empty promises — if we are to get on top of crime.
HeraldLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.