Second death stokes mob justice fears
A second body has been discovered in Mfuleni, less than a day after the half-naked body of a man was found in the area.
|||Cape Town - A second body has been discovered in Mfuleni, less than a day after the half-naked body of a man was found stabbed and burnt with his hands tied behind his back in the area.
On Monday morning, Mfuleni residents were shocked by the gruesome discovery, alleged to be the result of mob justice.
At around 8pm on Monday night, another body was found lying in the street, apparently beaten to death, not far from where the first body was discovered.
Mfuleni Community Policing Forum spokesperson Alfred Dastile said they suspect mob justice could be to blame.
“Another person was killed yesterday in close proximity to where a body was found yesterday morning, we suspect another mob justice incident.”
Eyewitness Julius Sengoatsi said he investigated after hearing strange sounds. “At around 8pm I heard a noise and when I went to check it out. I saw a group of people walking with one suspect. The residents were beating the guy as they were walking the streets with him.”
He said when the police arrived, the man was already dead and the group quickly dispersed. According to Sengoatsi, mob justice was new to the area, which is why the attacks shocked them. Dastile said mob justice incidents were few and far between.
He said there would be an increase as a result of the community’s disappointment in the courts. “Criminals get arrested and released back to the community which is why people take the law into their own hands, but we are not condoning (this).”
Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk could not confirm the incident by the time of going to print.
No arrests in connection with the first body had been made and the murder investigation continued, he said.
zodidi.damo@inl.co.za
Cape Argus