Johannesburg - Fed up Alexandra residents believe the police have failed them. The residents took matters into their own hands when they killed a suspected serial rapist.
This follows an incident this week where a suspected rapist and robber in the area, was allegedly attacked and burnt to death by an angry mob in the township.
A source, who asked to remain anonymous, said the man was found on top of a roof of one of the rape victims. He was then dragged down, beaten and burnt to death.
“The mob asked him what he was doing on the roof and he failed to give response, that is when they started to assault him. They dragged him down while others threw mortar bricks and stones at him. Some were beating him using knobkerries. His head and clothes were covered with blood,” said the source.
She said the man was holding a knife when they pulled him from the roof and had other knives on him under his garments,” the source said.
The deceased was believed to be in his late forties. She said people started complaining about the accused early this year and had reported the matter to the police but nothing had been done.
“People said he raped a 10-year-old last month and has been raping some women from the area and the grandmother he was found on top of her roof. If he found you with your husband or boyfriend, he would tell them to look away as he raped you. On the scene where he died, he said there were two more men left on the group of rapist and they were going to deal with every woman in the area. The community is tired of these people, and the police are doing nothing hence people take matters into their own hands.”
Police spokesperson Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said the community must work with the police to catch the culprits.
“If they keep the information among them, how must we assist them?”
Ward Councillor Tefu Raphadu called on police to do more.
"We also encourage the people of Alex to come out and join the Community Policing Forum to patrol around the township. We must work together with the police to prevent such incidents. It is just unfortunate that the community had to reach a point where they handle situations by themselves.”
Dlamini said no arrests have been made in connection with the attack and police were investigating a case of murder.