Cape Town - The recent spate of vigilante attacks in Masiphumelele – one last week and another on Sunday night – has shocked high ranking police officers, prompting promises of extra resources to help curb crime.
Last week a mob allegedly beat and burnt a man to death after he was accused of killing a 14-year-old boy. A police vehicle was also allegedly torched.
On Sunday night, a mob allegedly beat and shot one man to death and then beat and burned another, leaving him seriously injured during a rampage through the area.
The man, who was killed, had been accused of drug dealing. It is not clear why the other man was attacked.
Acting provincial police commissioner Major-General Thembisile Patekile said an awareness campaign about the illegality of mob justice was being conducted in the area.
“In an attempt to prevent the vigilante attacks, we are creating partnerships with the community,” he said.
“We have been conducting workshops to make residents aware that mob justice will not be tolerated.”
Patekile said police were always the last to be informed about mob justice.
“We always hear of these attacks after they’ve happened,” he said.
Patekile said he understood the community’s anger but could not condone citizens taking the law into their own hands.
He said the police had visited Masiphumelele last week and addressed the issue with community leaders.
“People can’t just give others a death sentence. It is forbidden by the constitution. And in some cases you find that an innocent person has been killed,” said Patekile.
MEC for Community Safety Dan Plato said his department was doing its best to bring an end to mob justice.
“Last week we had a team of officials in Masiphumelele talking to the community. We told them that mob justice is a crime. It is really about killing people. Suspected criminals must be found guilty in a court before facing the full might of the law,” he said.
Plato said many residents felt the justice system took too long to deal with alleged perpetrators, which is why “they took the law into their own hands”.
“I am going to Masiphumelele next week to gain an understanding of the mindset of residents. It is part of our on-the-ground intervention,” he added.
Kathy Cronje of the Ocean View Community Police Forum said their members have been trying to act as “an interface” between police and Masiphumelele residents.
“We are trying to bridge the gap between the community and police, so that the issues can be resolved,” she said.
Cronje said the deputy minister of police Maggie Sotyu had acknowledged the community’s problems with crime.
Cronje said Sotyu had promised to provide the area with a satellite police station to help curb crime.
Cape Argus