Three alleged criminals stoned to death by Limpopo residents

Three men were allegedly assaulted and stoned to death yesterday by angry Tshandama village residents in the Thohoyandou area of Limpopo. The men were accused by the community of a spate of criminal activities in the area.

After the grim incident, Mutale police launched a search operation for the suspects. Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the three were hunted down by angry villagers on Tuesday night.

“The community searched them all over the village and later found them and arrested them before being brutally assaulted,” he said yesterday.

According to Mojapelo, the dead men were accused of theft cases that were committed in the area in recent months. “We can’t allow our community to be turned into a crime capital,” said a community member in Thohoyandou.

“These people have terrorised our community for more than three years. Our parents always live in fear and so are our sisters who can no longer walk the streets without looking over their shoulders.

“We said enough is enough and all the torture stops here.” The villager, who asked not to named, added: “Although we do not support that those who sin or commit crime must be killed, we support a move by the community to stand together and speak with one voice in the name of fighting crime.”

Mojapelo identified the deceased as Meshack Munyai, 24, and Azwindini Mudau, 30, both from Tshakhuma, and an unknown Zimbabwean male. A case of murder has been opened and anyone with information is requested to call the police on 08600-10111.

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