NELSPRUIT – Police in Mpumalanga have urged communities not to take the law into their own hands as such conduct may lead to unnecessary loss of life or people sustaining serious injuries.

Vigilantism is an offence since courts of law and the police are in place to perform their functions in terms of the constitution.

This comes as a result of two separate incidents that occurred at Lekazi in Witbank and Uitkyk squatter camp in Middelburg on Saturday.

In Witbank, a 23 –year-old man was fatally assaulted by an angry mob after he was accused of stealing.

Two suspects aged 26 and 32, were arrested and will be appearing before the Witbank Magistrates’ Court soon, facing a charge of murder.

In the Middelburg incident, the community members assaulted a 19-year-old man after he and his friend, who is still on the run, allegedly stabbed a young man in his 20s to death.

It is alleged that the young man asked for a cigarette from the suspects and that led to an argument which left him dead. Community members who saw the incident chased after both suspects and managed to apprehend one of them. They assaulted him and dumped his severely beaten body next to the young man the duo allegedly murdered.

The suspect will appear before the Middelburg Magistrates’ Court as soon as he is discharged from the hospital facing a charge of murder.

It is also expected from the suspect to open a case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm against his attackers.