Vongai Masuka

In 2017, social media was awash with the tragic story of the gruesome death of a South African pastor whose life was cut shot by some ruthless criminals in Khayelitsha, Cape Town.
The untimely death of this highly respected soul was regarded as a greatest loss to the community as he was unarguably an active member who was popular for his works of engaging with the youth and families.

Pastor Lulama Awonke was passionately involved in the efforts of promoting peace and reconciliation in the community.
Since his murder, there have been several other high-profile cases of violence against religious leaders in South Africa. In one case, a priest was shot and killed while conducting a funeral.

A few days ago, a similar case was reported where pastor Dwayne Gordon was shot dead while preaching in Newlands, Joburg.
Pastor Dwayne was brutally shot by a group of armed robbers who stormed into the church he had been invited to preach. The robbers shot into the camera, obviously to kill evidence before threatening congregants and ordering them to surrender their belongings to them.
The congregants obeyed these orders, while Gordon stood in shock and looked helplessly at one of the robbers who then shot him in the throat.

At this moment, noone had a chance to attend to him, he lay helpless, choking and coughing while fighting for his life.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t make it.
These incidents highlight the vulnerability of religious leaders, who are often targets of violence because of their prominent roles in their communities. They also highlight the need for increased security and protection for religious leaders, as well as for greater efforts to address the underlying causes of violence in South Africa.

Pastor Dwayne’s case has also left many people asking what can be done to prevent such tragedies from occuring in the future, while the South African police has launched a manhunt to locate the criminals.
Other churches are currently holding prayer sessions for the victims and the bereaved family.

Statistics show that in the twelve months preceding the Governance, Public Safety, and Justice Survey (GPSJS) of 2022/23, South African households experienced a rise in household crimes such as housebreaking, home robbery, and motor vehicle theft compared to the previous year. These crimes, however, were not the only ones that saw an increase. Other crimes, such as assault and vandalism also rose.

Despite a drop in consumer fraud and hijacking of motor vehicles, overall crime experienced by individuals and households has increased in South Africa, according to new data released by Statistics South Africa.

Many experts believe that addressing the root causes of crime, such as poverty, unemployment, and inequality, is essential to reducing crime in South Africa.
In addition, improving the capacity of the police and judicial system is also seen as crucial to ensuring that crimes are investigated and prosecuted effectively.

It is also important to improve public trust in the police and the criminal justice system, as well as to address underlying issues of racism and discrimination. These are complex and deeply rooted problems, which will require a long-term and multi-faceted approach to solve.
In addition to government efforts, there are also many civil society organizations working to reduce crime in South Africa.

The South African Human Rights Commission works to protect and promote human rights, and the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation is dedicated to research and advocacy on violence and conflict resolution.The implications of robbery and other violent crimes in South Africa are far-reaching and impact multiple aspects of life in the country. First and foremost, such crimes create an atmosphere of fear and insecurity that negatively affects people’s quality of life. In this case, of of the survivors from this imcident expressed his concern for the congregants saying he was also in a mode of confusion. In addition, the impact on the economy is significant, as businesses and investors are discouraged from operating in a country where crime is rampant. The crime rate also has a direct impact on the tourism industry, which is an important source of revenue for South Africa. Finally, the high levels of crime contribute to the brain drain, as skilled workers leave the country in search of safer and more stable environments.One approach that could be taken to tackle the issue of robbery in South Africa is to increase the presence of law enforcement and improve community policing. Dwayne Gordon’s tragic story highlights the importance of this, as he was shot during a robbery while preaching in a church.
There needs to be more effective and visible policing in high-risk areas, and communities need to be empowered to help prevent and report crime. In addition, there is a need to address the underlying causes of crime, such as poverty and inequality.

Therefore it is important to promote non-violent conflict resolution through education and social programs. This can help people to resolve their differences in a constructive and peaceful manner. We also need to address the root causes of violence, such as poverty, inequality, and social injustice.