MBOMBELA – The mob-violence video which went viral on the Internet last week turned out not to be election violence as initially thought. Instead it was retribution for an alleged double murder and rape that occurred in Tonga on February 17.
At first it was unclear where the video, which showed a mob surrounding a man on the ground with others kicking him, jumping on his head and hitting him with the blunt edge of an axe, was taken. Since it surfaced during election week, and one of the people seen in the crowd was wearing a political-party shirt, the conclusion was drawn that it was related to the elections.
However, according to police the video was taken much earlier. Lt Nzwandile Nyambi, spokesman for Tonga SAPS, said the train of events started when a married couple was murdered and their daughter was raped in the area in February. A mob mobilised and allegedly killed Mr Elijah Sambo and Mr Fana Mashabane, who were two of the three suspects.
It is unclear which one appeared in the video in question. According to Nyambi, the suspected accomplice in the alleged crime, Mr Mcolisi Shongwe has since been arrested and appeared in the Tonga Magistrate’s Court on last Monday on charges of murder and rape. He is still in custody and will reappear on Wednesday.
The suspected killers of the alleged accomplices were arrested on Thursday, Nyambi said. Mr Joel Lubisi, Mr Duncan Mbokodo-Sambo and Mr Calvin Sibiya-Suthu face charges of murder and were released on a warning. They are to reappear on June 20.
Watch the video below. Warning: not suitable for sensitive viewers or children.
