Two people are on Thursday expected to appear before the Tembisa Magistrate’s Court on murder and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm charges after five people were allegedly stoned to death in Rabie Ridge.
One injured person survived the brutal attack when community members went on rampage and attacked the people accused of being criminals at Kanana.
“Both suspects, aged 38 and 39-years-old, were arrested on the evening of January 22, after the police conducted preliminary investigations and followed up on leads that they received,” said Gauteng police spokesperson, Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi.
Police in Gauteng are still appealing for information regarding the people involved in the murder.
“Police investigations continue and the public is still urged to come forth with any information that can assist with the investigation.”
Information can be reported to Crime Stop at 086-001-0111 or anonymously give tip-offs on My Saps App which can be downloaded on any smartphone, said Nevhuhulwi.
“All information received will be treated with strictest confidence.”
Earlier this week, The Star newspaper reported that an act of mob justice resulted in the death of the five people in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni.
The five were apparently stoned to death by angry community members on Monday, who accused them of being criminals. The irate community members who attacked the group said they had had enough of living in fear of crime.
A community leader whose name is known to The Star, said they decided to go on a door-to-door search for known criminals in the area in an attempt to teach them a lesson.
The leader said that the community had lost faith in the police as they have been reporting cases but there was never a result.
“We constantly live in fear. One can’t even go to shops in the evening without fearing for our lives. We tried to work with law enforcement, but they always let us down,” said the frustrated leader.
“We tell them these people’s names and where they live but they tell us they want evidence, where would one get evidence when they are dead?”
A family member of one of the victims, said his family was shocked by what had happened, saying their child was not a criminal.
“My nephew did not deserve to die like this, even if he was indeed a criminal he was not supposed to be killed like this. We don’t have any information beyond the fact that he is suspected of being a criminal in the area,” the visibly hurt uncle told The Star.
The man said his nephew was an entrepreneur who sold food and snacks for survival.
Most family members were able to identify their relatives on the scene.
IOL