Johannesburg - A dispute over non-payment of R100 left six houses razed to the ground and a man fighting for his life in hospital after being brutally assaulted by the community.
Allegations are that the the hospitalised man was furious after his friend refused to pay back his R100 owed on Monday. He is then said to have promised to set his house on fire later that day if the money was not received by then.
Alexandra resident Tshepo Mosima said the man set the house on fire a few hours later as he had promised.
“The fire spread and five other houses caught fire. Community members called the police but they did not show. Community members then manhandled the man who caused the fire by beating him.
Colonel Kay Makhubele of the Gauteng Police confirmed the incident.
“Police can confirm that few shacks caught fire in Alexandria. A man who was seen around was beaten up by a group of people accused to be the person who set fire to a shack.
“As a result, five other sharks were burnt. The person was taken to hospital. A case of attempted murder was opened and there have been no arrests yet, Makhubele said.
The community has since expressed its frustration with what they call the slow response to crime by the police in the area.
Residents said they have been neglected by the police, who do not respond on time or at all when requested help. They said they have now resorted to dealing with perpetrators of crime in their own way.
In another incident, Mabitso Malebye said her daughter was mugged on Tuesday afternoon.
She said her daughter reported the incident to police officers who drove past minutes after the incident, even pointing out to them the men who stole her cellphone and money.
According to Malebye, the police told her daughter they could not approach the robbers and need military back-up.
“We are not safe. My daughter’s phone, as well as her money, was taken. With the grace of God, she was not hurt. I will replace the phone but I am disappointed in Alex SAPS because they did not do anything to help her,” said Malebye.
Isaac Mangena, a prominent figure in the community, echoed that the community of Alex was not happy with crime in the area and had “no hope in the police”.
The Star