Cape Town -
An Mfuleni man accused of stealing a flat screen TV escaped death after he was allegedly assaulted with planks, a hammer and sharp objects.
Ndumiso Ndaba, 21, said four men abducted him in front of his Bardale Informal settlement home near Mfuleni on Friday night and took him to a nearby field where they assaulted him. He said one of his attackers alleged he had stolen a television.
“I thought I was going to die. They just started beating me up without giving me a chance to explain. One of the guys previously asked me if I knew anyone who was selling a stolen TV and I said I didn’t. He then asked me to look out for anyone selling a black flat screen TV,” he said on Tuesday.
In another incident, the body of an unknown man was found on Oliver Tambo Drive in Samora Machel on Monday night. Broken cement blocks and wooden planks were found next to his body.
Residents gathered near the scene, but nobody had details about what happened. Some said it was a vigilante attack while others speculated that it might be gang-related.
Police spokesman Frederick Van Wyk said:
“Assaulting people who are suspected to be criminals does not make community members innocent.
“We cannot solve crime with crime. The (Philippi police) station has experienced incidents of vigilantism. No one is above the law.
“If a suspect is caught, police must be called and let the law take its course.”
Cape Times