A man was beaten and set alight allegedly by taxi drivers in an apparent mob justice in Jouberton near Klerksdorp in the North West.
He was beaten and set alight in the early hours of Sunday.
The 33-year-old man reportedly stabbed a taxi driver with a knife following an argument over a cellphone.
“Allegedly, Mzikayise ‘Madala’ Qala, 33, and Katlego Sehloho, 27, had an argument over a cellphone.
“Apparently, Qala took out a knife and stabbed Sehloho, who is a taxi driver, on the upper body.
“He then fled the scene, leaving the victim behind. The victim was taken to a nearby house for assistance; however, he died a while later,” said North West police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Funani.
She said, according to information received, an unconfirmed number of taxi drivers went to the scene, gathered information about Qala’s whereabouts, and managed to trace him.
“They took him to the taxi rank in Extension 8, where he was allegedly assaulted and set alight. As a result, he died at the scene. Thus, Jouberton police are investigating two cases of murder.“
Funani said that following the mob justice incident, police managed to arrest one man, aged 42. He was expected to appear in the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
Funani said North West provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Sello Kwena cautioned members of the community to refrain from taking the law into their hands.
“Lieutenant General Sello Kwena asked members of the community to resolve their differences in an amicable manner and to work together with the police rather than resorting to violence including mob justice.”
IOL