On-duty crime prevention members were alerted to a complaint of mob justice in Diepsloot Ext 7 on 26 January.
The crime prevention members from the Diepsloot Police Station found a group of almost 300 people searching for two male suspects. People from the group said suspects had allegedly robbed someone earlier that day.
Spokesperson Captain Tinyiko Mathebula said one suspect allegedly had a firearm from which he fired one shot while the community was chasing them. “The community allegedly found the suspects and started to assault them with miscellaneous objects. The police intervened but were allegedly overpowered by the community.”
The suspects were taken from the police, and were seriously injured once other officers arrived for back-up. Emergency personnel declared the suspects dead when they arrived on the scene. No firearm was found in the suspects’ possession. No arrests as yet have been made. A case of murder is currently under investigation.
Mathebula added, “We are urging community members to desist from taking the law into their own hands. “Mob justice is a crime and we condemn this illegal act.
“We appeal to our community to collaborate and partner with the police in the fight against crime, by providing the police with information that can lead to the arrest of criminals.”
Crime can be reported at the nearest police station, anonymously calling the Crime Stop number on 0860 10111 or send tip-offs through the MySAPS application available on any smartphone.
