According to sources, the community members started searching for a suspect who was said be hiding at his brother’s house in Magafing village. After tracing the suspect, community members brought him back to Buffelshoek and this is where the assault started. He was reportedly sjamboked, stoned, stabbed and hacked with axes. A tyre was put around his neck and was set alight with petrol.

After hours of brutal beatings by the community, the police came, but he was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital.

“We, (police), fully understand the community’s frustrations since crime affects everyone. However, it can’t be correct that they resort to taking the law into their own hands whenever a crime has been committed. This act on its own is the same as committing a crime,” said the provincial police spokesperson, Brig Selvy Mohlala.

“Our community members are warned not to take the law into their own hands, but rather report all criminal activities to the police,” said Mohlala.