The Kimberley community is rallying in support of the Mhlongo family following the brutal attack on Jabulani Butchery owner Dingi Mhlongo, 67 on Wednesday.
THE KIMBERLEY community is rallying in support of the Mhlongo family following the brutal attack on Jabulani Butchery owner Dingi Mhlongo, 67 on Wednesday.
Mhlongo suffered serious injuries during an armed robbery at his butchery in the early hours of the morning and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
His family has dismissed messages circulating on social media about Mhlongo’s passing and clarified that he is in a stable condition after he went into surgery for his head injuries.
The public has been urged to refrain from making reckless and insensitive statements and to be considerate of the family’s feelings.
The Galeshewe police are investigating a business robbery and an attempted murder case following the incident.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Timothy Sam said a male suspect has been arrested in connection with the incident and is expected to appear in court on Friday.
The 67-year-old Mhlongo, who is well known for his humanitarian work in Kimberley, sustained severe injuries during the attack and the suspects made off with an undisclosed amount of money and meat.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that two or more assailants were involved in this robbery,” said Sam.
He explained that the Galeshewe station commander, Brigadier Belinda Rikhotso, immediately activated all resources to apprehend and arrest the assailants which led to the arrest of one suspect on Thursday.
Sam urged the public to assist with information that may lead to the apprehension and arrest of the other suspects and the investigation of the case.
“The investigating officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Doggie Magugu, can be contacted on 082 469 0578 or 08600 10111 or via the MySAPS app,” said Sam.
Mhlongo’s family expressed that they are trying to cope during this painful situation.
The family spokesperson, Sylvia Mhlongo, who is Jabulani’s sister, assured the public that Mhlongo is in a stable condition and could speak before he went into surgery on Thursday morning.
She said Mhlongo suffered two serious injuries to the skull.
There was also a serious cut on his ear and on his shoulder, she added.
“Surgery will be performed on the side of his head where he was hit with the meat saw. There is a piece of the object that has to be removed.
“He also suffered a crack on the other side of his skull.”
She described how she was shocked to find her brother lying in a pool of blood on Wednesday morning.
“The police came to my place and told me that my brother was badly injured during the attack.
“I called the rest of the family and we rushed to the butchery. We arrived to a traumatising scene, where he was lying next to the object that was used to hit him on the head. The scene brought back all the traumatic experiences my family has gone through,” she said in tears.
She added that Thursday, when Mhlongo was undergoing surgery, was also a traumatic day in the family’s history.
“This is the day when my late sister Kgobi Mhiko would be turning 60 years old. She died in a freak car accident In 2018. That is why it is so traumatic to see the same machine that caused him to lose one of his hands, laying next to him in the pool of blood.”
The family expressed appreciation to the Kimberley community for the support they have been shown.
“We really appreciate the support from the community. It gives a true reflection of the kind of person my brother was.
“They must not panic. He is alive and stable.
“We appreciate the prayers on the different platforms like the media, local radio stations and the different congregations.
“I have said it once, twice, and will say it twice more that we appreciate the support.
“They have always been there, thus God will pull us through this once more.”
