CALCUTTA, Mkhuhlu, Mpumalanga — Residents of Calcutta in Mkhuhlu, Mpumalanga, are urgently demanding a formal investigation into the management of their local police station following a deadly weekend shooting that left four people dead. The latest violence brings the total number of brutal murders in the Calcutta area to 37 since January 2026, with no arrests made to date.
The most recent victims—Xolani Mona, Midwell Maluka, Alice Mahlangu, and Zuzumuzi Sedibe—were killed in a hail of bullets outside Mona’s home on Sunday night. Forensic teams recovered over 60 cartridge casings from the scene, indicating that at least three different firearms were used in the coordinated attack.
The escalating violence has transformed the community into what locals now describe as a “land of blood.” Residents expressed profound fear, stating they are afraid to walk outside or return home from work as early as 7:00 or 8:00 PM. Frustration is mounting over the perceived inaction of law enforcement. Community members noted that they have previously provided information to police about perpetrators, only to be failed. Consequently, calls are growing louder for the Calcutta police station to be shut down or completely overhauled due to its inability to protect the public or secure convictions.
The sense of betrayal is particularly acute for the family of Midwell Maluka, who was previously kidnapped and murdered in front of his mother in April, a case that also remains unsolved despite the family providing leads to authorities.
Community Safety MEC Jackie Macie visited the grieving families to offer support and promised that no stone would be left unturned in the pursuit of justice. Addressing the alarming statistics, Macie publicly questioned the effectiveness of the station’s current leadership.
“When we have recorded this number of cases with no breakthrough, it erodes the confidence that the community should entrust to the station,” Macie stated. He emphasized that the station head must take decisive action, warning that if 37 cases can pass without a single suspect being held, the police presence is effectively non-existent.
The four latest victims are scheduled to be laid to rest this Saturday, as the community continues to mourn and demand immediate, tangible action from provincial law enforcement leadership.