TONGA – Police are concerned about the increase in mob-justice incidents in the Nkomazi area.
Last Sunday and Monday, community members in Block A pursued and captured two male suspects believed to have committed rape and armed robbery. The suspects were reportedly dragged to the local graveyard, where they were assaulted, before being burned alive.
Last Friday two more suspects were killed by the angry community in two separate incidents in Naas and Skwahlane, respectively.
According to the spokesman for Tonga Police Station, Lt Mzwandile Nyambi, they received information that the community of Naas burned a 31-year-old man, Siboniso Mbombi to death.
Three other men were assaulted by the community of Skwahlane. Police acted swiftly and managed to rescue Mr Vusi Ceko and Mr John Shabangu (Khoza) from the angry mob. The third victim, Mr Dalton Mpitori Nkuna (37), was dead when police arrived.
The two victims are fighting for their lives at Tonga Hospital.
Two murder cases and two counts of attempted murder have been opened at Tonga Police Station and are under investigation.
Police received another report that the community of Kamdladla had assaulted two males who are estimated to be in their early thirties. On their arrival, officers found badly wounded Mr Aaron Tibane and Mr John Tibane in a kraal.
An ambulance was summoned to the scene and the victims were taken to Tonga Hospital, where they are in a critical condition.
Police are investigating two cases of attempted murder.
This past Saturday police rescued a 35-year-old man from angry community members of Block A after he attempted to steal a car.
“Earlier this week two males, Antony Mabila (35) and Shaolin Ntuli (26), were burned to death by the angry community of Block A. No arrests have been made yet. Investigations continue. This has become a habit of the community,” said Nyambi.
Acting Tonga-cluster commander, Brig Velisiwe Mdaka, has condemned the ruthless behaviour of community members and implored them to work with the police.
“Whenever the community has information, they must inform the police. They must not take the law into their own hands,” he concluded.
