Nelspruit: 25 July 2022- The police have issued a stern warning against mob justice and urge the public to refrain from taking the law in to their own hands. The warning follows several incidents of torching of alleged suspects' houses around the Nkomazi area.
The latest incident being that of an alleged suspect after information surfaced that he fatally wounded a 26 year old on Saturday, 23 July 2022 at a local tavern in Steenbok. It is reported that an angry mob went into the suspect's residence and torched a house, leaving the family stranded without a shelter. Thereafter two suspects, a 74 year old man and a 42 year old woman were arrested and charged. They are expected to make their first court appearance at Nkomazi Magistrate's Court today, Monday 25 July 2022.
This outrageous incident happens barely a week after a 42 year old woman's house was torched by a group of angry mob at Block B. The said woman was alleged to have been involved in the murder of a 29 year old man, who was reported missing but later found dead in a toilet at Block C near Tonga.
Police have noted with great concern that this kind of unacceptable actions are becoming a norm in the area.
Meanwhile the Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has also condemned this trend. "This country is governed by laws and it can never be that criminality will be disguised in the name of taking control of the crime situation. People should rather join hands with police via legitimate structures like Community Policing Forums (CPF). If there is any information that may assist police then the details should be shared with the police" said the General.