Social workers assist families of Zandspruit mob-justice victims

On Friday, 21 May Gauteng’s MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko visited Honeydew Police Station where her department arranged for social workers from the Gauteng Department of Social Development to assist the families of victims and other community members of Zandspruit with psycho-social support.

Community members who were first at the scene of the gruesome mob-justice incident, among them children who were on their way to school, are receiving assistance through psycho-social support.

A day earlier, the MEC held a meeting with community leaders in Zandspruit who were able to assist in finding a solution to the Zandspruit mob-justice incident.

The community leaders also shared in the meeting the challenges that exist in their community, among them no visible policing in the area.

The MEC said during the visit to Zandspruit near the scene of the incident, they found the parent of one of the victims busy picking up what remained of the clothes their child was wearing on the day of the attack.

“One can see the grief on the parent’s face. You would not wish this on anyone, and parents never send their children to engage in criminal activities in the community.

“As the Department of Community Safety, in fact as the Gauteng Provincial Government we felt that the families needed counselling because they need help and closure as some of them are unemployed and will have difficulties burying their loved ones,” said Mazibuko.

Family members confirmed at Honeydew Police Station on Friday, 21 May that another two of the victims had died in hospital, bringing the total number of deaths to eight.

Mazibuko confirmed to the Northsider that the incident was not necessarily that of mob justice like it had been alleged. “It was a vigilante group going house to house as some of them are known by name,” said Mazibuko.