Community mum after mob killing

Witnesses of the ‘kangaroo court’ murder of a man suspected of a string of house robberies in Velani Township last Sunday are allegedly afraid to testify.
Sifiso Majola was beaten to death by a mob of residents in the early hours of last Sunday morning, January 4.
Umhlali SAPS officers arrived during the assault but said they were unable to intervene due to the size of the crowd.
Umhlali SAPS captain Percy Buthelezi said they have approached numerous individuals who witnessed the incident but they refuse to give testimonies saying they fear for their lives.
According to the chairperson of Velani CPF Bongumusa Mkhize, Majola, who ironically went by his nickname Kangaroo, was a suspect in numerous house robberies in the area.
He said residents had complained about Majola and a lady friend on numerous occasions.
“Apparently she would go knocking on people’s doors at night while he hid in the bushes. The home owners would open the door thinking she needed help and he would rob them,” said Mkhize.
He said they called Majola three weeks ago after a group of residents complained for the umpteenth time to the CPF but he denied having been involved in any of the break-ins or robberies.
A Velani resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said that Majola had been arrested for burglary more than five times in the past year alone.