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Herald Reporter

President Mnangagwa has accorded a State-assisted funeral to Elvis Nyathi, the Zimbabwean man who was brutally killed in Diepsloot, South Africa, last week.

Nyathi (43), who is originally from Chief Malaba’s area under Matobo District, was stoned and then burnt to death, with hands tied to his back, by a vigilante group claiming to be fighting crime committed by foreigners in South Africa.

In a statement last night, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda, confirmed the President’s decision.

Dr Sibanda

“His Excellency the President, Dr ED Mnangagwa, has granted a State-assisted funeral to the late Elvis Nyathi who was slain in South Africa last week.

“The remains of the late departed are expected in the country at the weekend,” said Dr Sibanda.

Nyathi, a father of four, was killed when he tried to escape from a crowd soon after getting home from work.

The man and his family were attacked by the gang that was checking documents for foreigners in the area.

The mob caught up with Nyathi as he tried to flee, tied him up and stoned him before setting him alight.

Many local and foreign commentators have condemned the killing of Nyathi, with some saying there was a group of South Africans that have a serious dislike of fellow Africans.

A number of Zimbabweans based in South Africa told The Herald that they were now living in fear as some rouge South Africans were targeting them for offences that would have been committed by citizens of other African                                                           countries.