An unidentified man was murdered in a mob justice incident at Sehunyane village in Limpopo’s Sekhukhune District.
The incident happened on Sunday, at around 1am, according to Limpopo provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba.
“An unknown male person was stoned to death and the body burnt beyond recognition by unknown people in a mob related incident. The vehicle used by the victim was also burned to ashes,” he said.
Police were alerted by an anonymous person about the incident, and they “swiftly” responded.
“It is alleged that the victim was found with a load of copper cables in the back of the motor vehicle, an Opel Corsa van that he was travelling in, when he was stopped and attacked,” Ledwaba said.
“The motive of the murder is unknown at this stage and the deceased also is unknown.”
Meanwhile, acting provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Major General Jan Scheepers has strongly denounced the act of vigilantism.
Scheepers urged members of the community to refrain from taking the law in to their own hands.
“As the provincial management, we have ordered the investigation team to immediately launch a manhunt for the suspects of this senseless killing and bring those responsible to book,” he said.
Anyone with information that can assist the police to arrest the suspects should contactSAPS Crime Stop at 086-001-0111, alternatively report to the nearest police station or can forward information to My SAPS App.
In September, IOL reported that a mob justice attack in Limpopo had resulted in the death of one person and the torching of two vehicles.
The incident took place at Mafefe-Maredi village in Malipisdrift, near Lebowakgomo, when a mob took the law into their own hands.
At the time, Ledwaba said the attack came after a group of suspects travelling in two motor vehicles allegedly robbed a local shop in the nearby village of Ga-Mampa and made off with an undisclosed amount of money, cigarettes, groceries, and a plasma TV.
“The mob spotted one of the vehicles, a Corsa light delivery vehicle, and cornered the suspects, who abandoned their vehicle and ran towards the mountainside. One suspect was caught and hacked to death with a sharp object. The vehicle was also set alight,” he said.
“The raging mob continued looking for the suspects driving in a Nissan Almera. They eventually spotted the vehicle, and the occupants managed to escape, but their vehicle was torched as well.”
IOL