Mob beats alleged dealers, sets 'drug den' alight in Pretoria CBD

File photo: Keran Ducasse

File photo: Keran Ducasse

Published Sep 23, 2019

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Pretoria - Two suspected drug dealers have been badly beaten and kicked by angry mob in Pretoria CBD on Monday afternoon.

The building from where they allegedly sold drugs was also set alight by the mob. 

Police had to close off traffic on Bloed street, where the suspects were caught.

Tshwane emergency services workers, who were called in to extinguish the fire, were chased by the crowd from doing their work.

According to an eyewitness operating a clothing shop in the street, chaos broke out after one of the suspects tried to sell drugs to a woman.

The drugs were stuffed inside a wig, which was handed over to the woman.

Eyewitnesses said the woman was surprised to discover a white powder wrapped inside a plastic inside the wig. 

Wanting to establish if the powder was really a drug, she showed it a group of taxi drivers, who confirmed that it was indeed drugs.

There was suddenly a commotion when an angry mob  attacked the seller, who was identified as a Nigerian national. 

The man was badly beaten with fists and kicked until he fell on the ground. He was then ordered to identify the person who sent him to sell drugs.

The alleged mastermind, who was inside a block of flat, tried to run away from the fuming crowd. However, he was cornered and beaten up by the mob. 

The two were rescued by the police, who arrested them.

The situation continued to be tense as the police asked bystanders to leave the scene.

The hostile crowd prohibited a Pretoria News photographer from taking pictures and intimidated bystanders not to take pictures with their cellphones. 

Pretoria News

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