MEC condemns Zandspruit killings

On Wednesday, May 19, Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko, condemned the incident of mob justice in Zandspruit informal settlement that claimed six lives and left three people critically injured.

Honeydew Police were alerted to the mob-justice incident and responded. They found more than 200 people at an open field who started throwing stones at them.

Police immediately called for back-up and after the crowd had been dispersed police found nine people aged between 20 and 30, lying on the ground, badly assaulted and set alight.

Four people were confirmed dead by the team of paramedics, while the other five were in a critical condition and were taken to Chris Hani Baragwanath and Helen Joseph Hospitals immediately to receive medical attention.

“We condemn in the harshest terms the mob justice incident in Zandspruit which led to loss of lives and left others injured.

“These gruesome acts often leave communities traumatised and have long-term devastating effects.

“We urge the community to remain calm and exercise restraint as we await the full report from the police, and look for solutions to their problems.

“While we understand that communities at times feel let down by law enforcement, we urge them to avoid taking the law into their own hands and being in conflict with the law,” said MEC Mazibuko.

Gauteng Police confirmed that a fifth person had died in hospital and later the number escalated to six.

According to Gauteng Police spokesperson, Captain Kay Makhubela, police have also arrested three people for murder, and four counts of attempted murder.