The Provincial Commissioner of police in Gauteng, Lieutenant General Deliwe de Lange, has issued a stern warning to the public to refrain from taking the law into their own hands after an apparent incident of mob justice which led to the death of six people in Diepsloot, Johannesburg West.
It is alleged that during the early hours of Saturday 11 November 2017, residents of Extension 1 in Diepsloot went out in pursuit of a group of suspects they claimed were terrorizing the community.
They allegedly caught the first man, assaulted him as they dragged him to where he showed them where three of his friends were. It is reported that this is where the residents found goods such as shoes, computers and cellphones suspected of having been stolen.
Police had to call for backup and managed to rescue one man, while six allegedly burned to death at the hands of angry residents in David Webster Street.
“Communities have been warned in the past to guard against acts that constitute mob justice, no matter how angry they may be. We have also on numerous occasions appealed to communities to report to the police all known criminals and allow police to investigate and arrest them,” said the Provincial Commissioner.
Anyone who suspects they could have knowledge of the whereabouts of criminals, must report these cases to the police by either calling 08600 10111 or reporting to their nearest police station.
South Africa today – South Africa News
