By line: Andani Matumba
22 February 2022
A man who is believed to be in his early 20’s was brutally murdered and set alight next to a vehicle which thereafter also caught fire.
The horrific incident occurred at Ruth First in Mzinti near Tonga in the afternoon of Tuesday, 15 February 2022.
Currently police at Tonga are working around the clock to uncover details on what might have sparked the attack.
It is alleged that on Monday night, 14 February 2022 a certain group of suspects, including the victim, tried to rob a certain shop around Mzinti area then some community members accosted them.
It was further stated that the victim and his friends had to run for their lives and as a result they allegedly left a light delivery vehicle behind.
It is said that the man, whose identity is unknown at this stage, was then caught and severely assaulted as well as torched next to the said vehicle which also caught fire in the process.
According to the police records no case of robbery was ever registered with the police in relation to the man killed.
Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela says that she is disturbed by this incident and she strongly condemns the act of mob justice.
The General calls for members of the public to report criminal activities to the authorities rather than taking the law into their own hands which in turn amounts to committing a crime.
“The society should understand that it can never be right to correct a wrong by another (wrong).
Those who are responsible for this, should be brought to book and face the full might of the law” said the General.
