YOUTH TRAPPED IN NEW GANG OF MURDER, RAPE

MBABANE – A number of young individuals find themselves ensnared in the world of gangsterism, unable to distance themselves due to its intricate rules and rituals.

Eswatini News has uncovered that those wishing to sever ties with this lifestyle must first employ a clothing iron to remove the tattoos that tie them to the realm of gang affiliation. Investigations conducted by this publication have revealed that the ‘28 Gang’ is regarded as the most dangerous, identifiable by the ‘sun tattoo’, which signifies sunset.
This gang is notorious for committing heinous acts, including murder and rape. They refer to themselves as Emashona boys, operating under the cover of darkness. A notable characteristic of this gang is their shyness; they seldom engage with other members of the community.

They are responsible for horrific crimes, such as rape and murder. Even schoolchildren have testified that upon joining, they were informed they would only engage in two types of crimes; rape and murder. In a rather grim irony, the clothing iron, which is typically used to smooth out wrinkles from fabric, is repurposed for a far more sinister task.
They press the heated metal plate against their skin in a bid to obliterate their gang-related tattoos. However, this procedure leaves behind significant gaping wounds that only partially erase the gang’s ‘signature’ once they have healed.

Unsettling

This unsettling information was shared by Constable Siphiwe Nxumalo from the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) during a presentation to World Vision staff in the Lubombo Region. For gang members, tattoos are emblematic of belonging. They serve as a testament to a member’s loyalty and their sentiments towards external groups. As noted by Louis Kontos and David Brotherton in the Encyclopedia of Gangs, such tattoos act as unequivocal indicators of membership.These markings are often strategically placed in highly visible areas, such as the face, neck and hands, to distinguish genuine members from mere pretenders. Being ‘tagged’ with a tattoo signifies a profound commitment to the gang, alongside a demonstrated allegiance.

Constable Nxumalo recounted the plight of a pupil named Dlamini, who was taken to an orphanage by the Hhohho Regional Police Headquarters, sporting a grievously injured left eye. Dlamini attributes his circumstances to the absence of a father figure during his upbringing. “I was a bright pupil, but I believe that my father’s absence played a significant role in shaping who I have become. I lived with my mother, and on occasions, I would confide in her about being bullied at school. Her response was typically, ‘I pay for your school fees, feed you and provide clothing for you. Now you want me to fight your battles?’” he recounted sorrowfully. Dlamini felt compelled to confront his bullies, which unfortunately led to an assault by gang members, some of whom were not even pupils themselves. He emerged from the encounter with severe injuries.

Tensions

“Gang members typically carry knives, as violence is often the order of the day when tensions escalate,” he divulged. REPS maintains that individuals who promote gangsterism, particularly those associated with the numbers 26, 27 and 28, must be identified and apprehended. As emaSwati engage in their festive shopping, it is crucial to acknowledge that gang members are lurking nearby. Alarmingly, a new gang targeting  much younger school children has emerged, known as ema-Iraq. The leaders of this gang entice youths aged between 11 and 19 years  to join under the guise of “leaving a legacy for the younger generation.”

Similar to other gangs, ema-Iraq has established a sense of belonging through tattoos, this time in the form of a regular household nail. The REPS has identified several other gangs, including Emabhenjamini, K-9, and the 26, 27 and 28 gangs. Constable Kunene asserts that all these burgeoning gangs stem from members of the established 26, 27 and 28 gangs. This particular group   ema-Iraq has been known to steal from their own parents and fellow students, engaging in random attacks on unsuspecting victims for material possessions such as mobile phones and money, which they are expected to surrender to their leader during weekly meetings, typically held on Saturdays.

Kunene urged parents to be vigilant, not merely regarding their children’s behaviour, but also concerning the markings on their bodies and the graffiti on their walls. “A parent recently brought a child to the police station for a discussion, and we faced challenges in addressing the situation because one of the primary gang rules is to never disclose information about anyone or any place,” she shared. She elaborated: “Upon closer inspection, we discovered that the child had a nail tattooed on his body. This nail tattoo is unprecedented for the police, as typical tattoos include dollar signs, suns and various numbers associated with gang affiliations.” In the realm of gangsterism, these rules are referred to as intshayela. Kunene explained that a detailed examination of the tattoo revealed the Roman numeral two (II), indicating a connection to the 28 gang.

Tattoo

“When parents collect their children, they should be aware of certain phrases that gang members might use, such as ‘ukhumbule intshayela’ (loosely translated as ‘never forget the rules’). This particular child was a Form IV student who admitted to being part of the gang,” she added. The 26 gang is specifically known for its Dollar sign tattoo, and according to Kunene, their sole focus is financial gain. “Most members of the 26 gang are what we refer to as Boshaya, Landela and Facata, among others. They possess an uncanny ability to identify individuals who are likely to have money and will target them accordingly. For females, they can easily discern when someone frequently touches their breast, suggesting that money may be concealed beneath their bra,” she explained.

Kunene further noted that these gangs execute their crimes by employing what they call a ‘speaker’ or lalela, which essentially means they aim to capture the attention of their targets and entice them into their traps.The 27 gang, which had previously flown under the radar, has recently garnered attention from law enforcement for its presence in schools. A Grade VI pupil was reportedly lured by community members while visiting a smoking area. “The 27 gang exhibits characteristics of both the 26 and 28 gangs, indicating that they are driven by financial motives, but are also willing to resort to violence to achieve their ends. This gang was the most frequently arrested in the preceding month, signalling a desire to return to prison and regroup,” she noted.

Kunene highlighted that the 27 gang operates in a manner akin to tinkabi (hitmen) in South Africa, willing to do whatever it takes, even taking lives for monetary gain. The recently apprehended members of the 27 gang faced charges of housebreaking and theft. All these organised criminal gangs are intent on recruiting more schoolchildren. Recently, a gang leader, Ntokozo ‘Batista’ Dlamini, was sentenced to 17 years in prison by Supreme Court Judge Bonginkhosi Magagula for the murder of a fellow gang member, allegedly implicated in the killing of another gang member. Dlamini is reported to have stabbed Sifiso Hlophe with a hunting knife, commonly known as a Rambo, at Ka-Mdera, a popular bar located at Nkoyoyo, near Mbabane, the capital city.

When delivering his judgment, Justice Magagula said acts of gangsterism will be met with wrath and full force of the law. Hlophe was suspected to have had a hand in the murder of Musa ‘Kalawa’ Tsabedze. When Magagula sentenced Dlamini, he said the Supreme Court has set a precedent for cases involving murder where an accused person can objectively foresee that his actions will cause the death of another but proceeds to act regardless of the consequences of his conduct.

Emphasised

Magagula emphasised that for cases involving gang activity, public endangerment or other serious aggravating factors, sentencing falls between the ranges of 15 to 20 years imprisonment.
When no aggravating factors are present, sentences of about 10 years may be considered appropriate for first time offenders. In England, four teenage gang members have been sentenced to a total of over 77 years in August, following the attempted murder of a 20-year-old man. Following a British Transport Police investigation, the four men aged between 18 and 19, were sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Wednesday August 7, 2024.

They had previously received guilty verdicts at the same court on May 22. Elisandro Pinto Alves, aged 18, of Overbury Street, Hackney, was found guilty of attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, two counts of possession of a pointed or bladed article in a public place and violent disorder. He was sentenced for a total of 17 years. Hanzell Greenaway, aged 18, of Munro Way, Hackney, was found guilty of attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, two counts of possession of a pointed or bladed article in a public place and violent disorder. He was sentenced to a total of 19 years.

Jaheim Thomas, aged 18, Cassland Road, Hackney, was found guilty of attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, two counts of possession of a pointed or bladed article in a public place and violent disorder. He was sentenced to a total of 19 years. Marvin Edokpolo, aged 19 of Dalson Lane, Hackney, was found guilty of attempted murder. He was sentenced to a total of 22 years and three months. The judge ordered for the men to serve two thirds of their sentences with the remainder on licence. The quartet’s victim sustained life-threatening injuries from the attack, including multiple laceration wounds and a single gunshot to the leg. He received lifesaving treatment from paramedics at the scene and en-route to hospital. Significant evidence was retrieved from the scene including a knife, phone charger and cable, blood, a bullet and bullet casing.

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