Johannesburg - A man has been injured in a mob justice attack in Protea South, Soweto, barely two weeks after residents killed a man and injured three others in a similar incident.
The attack happened on Sunday morning after he was caught stealing from a house.
“He was assaulted by a mob this (on Sunday) morning,” said Bafana Malakoane, deputy chairman of the local community police forum (CPF).
The man laid a charge after about 20 residents attacked him.
Police spokesman Captain Hector Netshivhodza couldn’t be reached for comment or to confirm the incident.
On July 15, Sibusiso Mhlambi died after a mob of more than 100 people assaulted him and three other men with sjamboks, knobkieries, metal pipes, bottles and stones in Protea South.
The incident happened after a grass cutter was allegedly stolen from a woman’s yard.
The group of residents accused the four of being nyaope users responsible for various crimes in the area, including rape, murder and theft.
Mhlambi died in a makeshift office belonging to the CPF, where members were trying to protect the four men until the police arrived. The other three men were taken to hospital.
Despite the amount of media footage linking local residents to the violence, no arrests have been made.
“We are working on the intelligence to get the suspects. We can’t just arrest anyone; then the case will crumble. We have to get the right people,” police spokesman Captain Mpande Khoza told The Star.
He said he would inform the media as soon as there were any developments.
Malakoane said he hoped arrests would be made once two of the injured men, Thabiso Maduba and Vuyisile Maqana, were discharged from hospital.
“We are waiting for those guys who are in hospital because they said they know the people who injured them.
“We don’t want to do an arrest until the real people are identified,” he added.
Meanwhile, Malakoane said no one had laid a charge of theft for the allegedly stolen grass cutter.
“So far, no one is coming forward saying those men stole something from them. That is the problem; we are not sure who that person is.”
The Star