By: Natasha Archary
Police have still not arrested any suspects for the brutal murder of Elvis Nyathi in Diepsloot on Wednesday, 06 April.
The 44-year old father of four, was a victim of mob justice and was beaten before he was set alight alive.
Nyathi, a Zimbabwean foreign national worked as a gardener in Fourways to support his family.
His wife, Nomsa Tshuma shared with media on Thursday morning that a group of angry Diepsloot community members stormed into their home and dragged her husband outside.
The mob demanded to see the couples’ passport and documentation and accused Nyathi of hiding weapons and of leading criminal activity in the area.
His death comes after a weekend of protests over a spate of murders in the area, where it is reported that 7 people were killed.
Nyathi’s family members were seen washing away his blood stains off the road where he was then set on fire.
All that remained of Elvis Nyathi was a mound of ashes.
Family of the murdered Mhbodazwe Elvis Nyathi gathered to clean the blood stains where the 43-year-old was beaten up with hammers and steel sticks and stones before setting him alight. Elvis burnt to death. The father of 4 was a gardener in Fourways | @ScrollaAfrica pic.twitter.com/943JC8VFs5
— BEAST OF NEWS (@EversonLuhanga) April 7, 2022
Meanwhile, the Citizens’ Coalition for Change, a Zimbabwean political party has condemned the senseless killing of Nyathi.
Led by politician and lawyer, Advocate Nelson Chamisa and its official spokesperson, Fadzayi Mahere that party said his death was avoidable and horrific.
“Zimbabweans woke up to horrific images of a pile of ashes, ashes that were the remains of our fellow citizen, killed for no reason. Nyathi was a Zimbabwean citizen who was a victim of the forced migration crisis caused by the bad governance of Zanu-PF. Having settled in South Africa to seek a better life, he has become the tragic victim of the indiscriminate door-to-door raids by a vigilante group that targets African nationals outside the confines of the law and without the process. There is no room for a barbaric murder of this nature in a constitutional democracy.”
The CCC shared in a statement
Overnight raids in Diepsloot led police to the arrests of 27 undocumented foreign nationals. Residents say they will not stop their protests until more is done to end the crime in the township.
They say foreign nationals are to blame for the murders of 7 people in the community since the weekend.
🟡We extend our sincere condolences to the Nyathi family on the tragic stoning and burning of Elvis Nyathi in Joburg today. Such gruesome, criminal conduct has no room in civilized society. Zimbabweans deserve dignity.
— Fadzayi Mahere🇿🇼 (@advocatemahere) April 7, 2022
We need new leaders.🇿🇼 pic.twitter.com/tZgvl15x8x



