Pretoria - From old table legs wrapped in cloth to sharp, discarded objects or anything else they can get their hands on
This is what some of Tshwane’s homeless people and those sleeping rough on the streets are using to protect themselves following the discovery of a fourth murdered man.
There is fear among the city of Tshwane’s homeless community as yet another body of one of their own was found in the Sunnyside area on Tuesday.
In recent weeks, the bodies of homeless men, bludgeoned and stabbed repeatedly to death, have been discovered around the Magnolia Dell in Muckleneuk.
Spokesperson for the Sunnyside Police station,
Captain Daniel Mavimbela, said that after the discovery of another body a few blocks from Magnolia Dell, on the corner of Justice Mohammed and Troye streets in Sunnyside on Tuesday, police were urging the homeless to sleep in groups for their safety.
The police are working tirelessly to find the alleged killer of the homeless men, most of whom have been middle-aged.
“So far, investigations can only reveal that the (latest) deceased had suffered an injury towards the back of the head.”
Meanwhile, a man who stands begging for money at Magnolia Dell said people who sleep on the streets had shared their concerns about the murders.
“Most of us try to find something to protect ourselves while we sleep, as it’s not just this area where we are being targeted. It’s here at Magnolia Dell, Berea Park, Brown Street and numerous places around the city.
“From what we hear, the killer is targeting drug addicts around the city, but we don’t know why. The only other rumour we are hearing is that it is a foreign national behind these killings.”
The homeless man urged police to look across the city as there were more deaths than had been reported. Some, he claimed, were throttled or had been injected with poison while sleeping.
Richard Wildeman from the Tshwane Homeless Advocacy Committee blamed the murders on the City of Tshwane.
He said the City was sitting on resources meant to assist those living on the streets and had done nothing to stop the killings.
What made the homeless people even more scared was that the
police were still no closer to identifying a suspect.
Wildeman said their committee, along with the New Hope organisation, both compromising members elected by homeless people to represent them, would issue a demand to Tshwane House for the safety of such people to be prioritised immediately.
“Everyone who is living on the streets is scared as they don’t know where it’s safe to sleep any more. I told the families of the deceased men that their blood is on the hands of the City of Tshwane Municipality.”
On June 9 the body of a man was found on the northern side of Magnolia Dell Park (where the curved sign is placed).
Police are urging anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of the suspect/s in cases involving the deaths of the homeless men to contact the police anonymously through the Crime Stop Hotline at 0860010111 or SMS Crime Line at 32211.