Angry residents of Video Center informal settlement in Muldersdrift took matters into their own hands this afternoon, 22 April, when they apprehended a local criminal and took him to the police station themselves.
This came about after three suspects broke into a local spaza shop and assaulted owner Sipho Mtumbu and his family with a hammer. Muldersdrift police arrested the suspects yesterday only to release one of them this morning.
Soon after his release, members of the community apprehended him. More than 200 residents marched down Drift Boulevard, protesting his release. The suspect was locked up inside the boot of a resident’s white Golf.
“This is not Xenophobia, this was a robbery,” said Sandra Morake, Sipho’s neighbour who also took part in the march.
Heavily armed policemen escorted the protesters to the police station while a helicopter hovered above the scene.
“We are afraid to walk around in the community because a criminal is on the loose,” the residents said.