In a violent crime during the Christmas week holiday, police rescued a man while being severely assaulted by an angry mob consisting of about 100 Malawian nationals in Comet on Boxing Day.
It is unclear if the attack was in retaliation for the shooting of the four Malawian men who were shot on Christmas Day at the same address.
“When police arrived they found the bloodied and battered man lying on the ground with open wounds all over his body. He was surrounded by Malawians who were angrily shouting at him.”
The injured mob justice victim was taken to hospital for treatment.
Previous mob justice attack
This was the latest incident of mob justice in Boksburg. It’s barely a month since two alleged robbers, men, were savagely beaten by a mob in the Boksburg CBD in December.
The mob meted out people’s justice to the pair after they allegedly robbed a woman of her hard-earned money in Boksburg town after she had withdrawn it from one of the ATMs located inside Boxer Store on Leeuwpoort Street.
READ STORY: Alleged robbers severely beaten in Boksburg CBD mob justice
Readers’ opinions on mob justice
At that time, the Advertiser asked readers to share their views on what they think drives people to take the law into their own hands instead of reporting criminals to the police.
Most of those who commented blamed mob justice on “police failure”, saying the criminal justice systems and the police have failed residents.
Johannes Labuschagne: “I agree with mob justice. The reason is people are fed up with the crime going on in this country. The government and police are doing very little about it. Mob Justice can only stop if crime stops. If necessary I will join mob justice.”
Molefe Majane: “Criminals need to know there is no place for them in society. Rehabilitation is done in jail. I support the communities who come together to fight crime. Mob justice too for heartless criminals. If the community knows you have been a stubborn criminal, mob justice must paralyse or make you meet your creator. No place for criminals in society.”
The Boksburg SAPS warns residents not to take the law into their own hands, saying they will not allow the community to punish suspected criminals, adding that those involved in mob justice are criminals themselves and will be dealt with accordingly.
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