Police save man from angry Barberton mob
Police saved the life of a homeowner after he allegedly fired shots at taxis. A mob attacked him and attempted to burn his home down.
A passer-by is seen looking at a damaged taxi on Madiba street where a shoot out between taxi drivers took place earlier in the morning, 5 July 2018, 5 taxi drivers were injured during the attack, Pretoria. Picture: Jacques Nelles
According to White River Flying Squad Unit leader Captain Pieter Smit, he first heard that a crowd had taken about 10 young men against their will.
“We were informed that [Mpumalanga] Taxi Association members had taken them, as they had suspected they were selling nyaope and were responsible for their vehicles being robbed.”
The taxi members allegedly assaulted the men and forced them to point out where their “boss” was. This led them to a house on the corner of Sheba and Donga streets, Lowvelder reports.
READ MORE: Taxi boss killed outside home in Midrand
When police arrived at the house, the owner of the property had already fired shots at the taxis parked outside.
“He told us he had rented Wendy houses to tenants at the back of his home.”
By this time the crowd had grown significantly. People were attempting to burn the house down with petrol bombs.
The police first arrested four people inside the home, who they put in the back of a van. As they were attempting to remove the owner, the mob stormed them.
Enraged community members tore off the owners clothes and pushed him to the ground. They kicked him until SAPS members grabbed him and managed to get him into the back of a van.
SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said people should not take the law into their own hands and rather report suspected crimes to the police.
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android
