Zim community expresses anger at murder of Diepsloot cop Oupa Matjie

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DURBAN - Representatives of the Zimbabwean community living in South Africa said on Thursday they were "furious" that some of the alleged killers of Diepsloot policeman Oupa Matjie were Zimbabwean. "We are saddened and furious that the alleged murderers are said to be Zimbabwean nationals," said community spokesperson Bongani Mazwi Mkwananzi. "We as the Zimbabwean community in South Africa express our sincerest condolences to his family, to the SAPS and the South African nation at large." The 54-year-old detective captain was shot dead on January 17 while tracing suspects with a colleague. Four men have so far been arrested for the crime.

The Zimbabwean community "abhorred and loathed" criminals, according to Mkwananzi, who added that community members distanced themselves from any of their fellow citizens that committed crime in South Africa.

"[They] tarnish the good name of the majority of our countrymen who are hard working and earn their living honestly. The stiffest and harshest punishment must be meted out to those criminal elements who create environments of fear amongst the communities where Zimbabweans and South Africans live harmoniously with each other.

"We implore the community not to see such disdainful conduct as representative of the Zimbabwean community but as acts of very few criminal elements in our community whom Zimbabweans are also daily victims of. Therefore, whatever wrath there may be must be directed at criminals, via the law agencies, and not at ordinary Zimbabwean nationals."

Mkwananzi said they were organising a crime summit in Johannesburg's Berea on February 6 to deal with issues of crime, and urged all stakeholders to participate.

"Crime is crime and these criminals do not segregate their victims by nationality."