Rustenburg – Eight men arrested in connection with the burning to death of three men in Morokweng, North West are due to appear in court on Monday.
They are expected in the Ganyesa Magistrate's Court facing three counts of murder, another three of kidnapping and one of arson.
They were arrested on Friday, during a crime-intelligence driven operation by a multidisciplinary team comprising of Tactical Response Team (TRT), Public Order Police (POP) and detectives.
"It was reported on Tuesday, May 24, that some members of the community went to a rented house at Ga-Mokgopha Section, where Bonakele Sabasaba, 32, Khayalethu Sabasaba, 22, and Zanaflex Sabasaba, 26, who are all South Africans from Carletonville in Gauteng, lived.
"The group allegedly pelted the house with stones to force out the trio. In the process of escaping the attack, the victims allegedly stabbed and injured some of the attackers. The group then chased and caught the men who were accused of dealing in drugs.
“The men were then taken back to the house which was eventually set alight. Sadly, the victims burnt and died in the house," said North West police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone.
During the arrest, the police managed to confiscate a vehicle that was allegedly used during the commission of the crimes. Investigations into the matter continue, Brigadier Mokgwabone said.
In Gauteng, police said more than 550 people, who were on the run after committing serious and violent crimes that included murder, armed robbery, rape, fraud, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, housebreaking and theft, were arrested during Operation O Kae Molao at the weekend.
"These suspects were arrested during the first phase of the operation, where the detectives were tracing wanted suspects," said Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo.
"The second phase of Operation O Kae Molao is where integrated law enforcement agencies conducted a roadblock to ensure that there were no illegal goods and substances transported by the road users and to search for stolen and hijacked vehicles.
"During the roadblock in Protea, Soweto, 12 people were arrested for driving while under the influence of alcohol, three cars that were suspected to be stolen/hijacked/used in the commission of crime were seized and 18 undocumented foreign nationals were taken in to be processed by officials from the Department of Home Affairs. More than 270 other people were arrested for various crimes in the Johannesburg district over the weekend."
In Tshwane 490 people were arrested, 426 in Ekurhuleni District, 168 in West Rand District and 87 in Sedibeng District.
IOL