Viwe ‘murdered over cellphone’

Viwes elder brother, Langa Zono, shows Vukani some of the football accolades his brother attained during his football days and his framed picture.

The Zono family from Langa is demanding justice for their murdered son Viwe and has accused police officers of failing to bring the perpetrators to face the wrath of the law.

Viwe Zono was shot multiple times in November last year at a friend’s house allegedly by someone who lives just few metres away from his home.

The 22-year-old was accused of stealing a cellphone from inside the alleged perpetrator’s car. The person’s identity is known to Vukani.

Viwe’s father, Thembeko Zono, said his son had rubbished claims that he had stolen a cellphone. Instead, he said he had asked them to carefully pcheck the car.

Mr Zono said his son’s explanation was apparently not enough to convince his killer that he had not stolen the phone.

The 60-year-old father of eight said when they learnt that Viwe was shot they rushed him to a nearby hospital where he died. He said doctors found five bullets in his upper body and he had lost a lot of blood.

Mr Zono said they immediately informed the Langa police officers about the matter with the hope that the perpetrator would be arrested. However, he said the police officers seemed uninterested in their case and never really gave it the necessary attention.

He claimed the investigating officer never interviewed witnesses until they as the family brought them to the station. Mr Zono said witnesses were always willing to give information to the police in an effort to assist them to wrap up the case. But he said it seemed that they had no interests to solve the matter.

He said it kills his soul every time he sees his son’s killer roaming the streets as if nothing had happened. He said his health has taken a massive knock since his son was murdered for something he had not done. He said what hurts him the most was the fact that the phone was later found on the perpetrator’s car. “All I want is to see the killer of my son pay for his actions. I will never rest until the police arrest him. I only demand justice for the death of my son – is that too much to ask for?

“Every time I think about what happened to my son I just lose my mind.My life will never be the same. I have lost part of my life. I will never find peace until the killer of my son pays for his sins. Langa police station has failed me,” he said.

Langa police station spokesperson, Captain Nodumiso Paul, confirmed that the case had been opened at the station. Captain Paul said the investigating officer had interviewed five witnesses and has also issued a warrant of arrest.

She said the officer has visited the place where the suspect lives many times without finding him. But she said the police were working on this case.

Captain Paul dismissed allegations that the suspect was friends with police and added that they had informed the family on a regular basis about the status of the case.

Viwe’s older brother, Langa Zono, described his brother as a quiet and people’s person who has never been involved in any fight. He said his brother spent of most of his time playing football and was a church goer.

He said his brother was with his friend who was going to the initiation school.

The 26-year-old said the sudden death of his brother has left his family in tears. He said it has also left him hateful and angry.

Langa said the suspect was allegedly moved to live in Gugulethu but police officers were made aware of his whereabouts.

He said the police have never offered or referred the family for counselling and have never updated the family on the case. He said they want to know the real reason why his brother was killed. He also said the killer claims that he would never be arrested because he is “friends” with police officers.