A 17-year-old beneficiary of the Philani Development Centre allegedly was beaten to death by the community of Zuurbekom.
According to Phyllis Malope, executive director of the Philani Development Centre and foster parent of the late Sedzane Madilonga, members of Philani found him on Thursday, 25 February.
“We don’t know when he died. We only found him that day. He was beaten to death by members of the Zuurbekom community,”
He has no parents. He’s an orphan. I personally fostered him. His brother is still with me,” Malope said.
“It is a record of vigilante justice that calls aloud for condemnation for an end to these terrible injustices that constitute a daily and ever-increasing violation of the Constitution of South Africa, the Human Rights and Child Act.
“Let us unite in strength and support the Constitution for which we fought so long and hard,” she said.
Malope added, “We will not accept nor will we sit back and tolerate these unreasonably harsh public demonstrations of punitive violence and retribution for undeserving members of our communities.
We call upon our community to act and assist our government to bring the culture of the vigilante justice to account.”
Christine Papamallis, an executive member of Philani said, “There is a case opened, the court hearing is on 10 March at the Westonaria court.”
Madilonga’s funeral was held at the Philani Safe Haven on Saturday.
This incident has not yet been confirmed by the Westonaria Police. Comment is still awaited from them concerning this matter.
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Also read:
Teenager found brutally murdered
Community members beat suspect to death
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