VANDERBIJLPARK – Disgruntled community members from Bophelong allegedly burnt down a block of flats in Vanderbijlpark during a manhunt for suspected thugs terrorizing the community.
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On Monday, April 3, residents Vanderbijlpark were disturbed by loud crumbling sounds coming from the burning rooftop of the Marthinus Pretorius building on the circle of Faraday Boulevard.
Following the torching of the dilapidated hijacked building where thugs hide, furious residents with pangas, sjamboks, and knobkerries could be seen tugging two young men on the streets, heading to Bophelong.
Tied with a plastic rope and bleeding, the suspected thieves continued to be beaten as they marched.
Speaking to Sedibeng Ster, a community member who refused to be named, said the men kill people in the township, 500 meters away from their haven.
“There has been a number of murders, robberies, and house breakings in our township, and upon our investigations, we were told that these suspects [pointing at the young men] are the ones behind those crimes. We dedicated a team of men who could track them down and we found them hiding in one of the flats here in town,” he said.
According to some members of the community, a group of alleged drug users occupy two flats in the building, where they smoke. Later in the evenings they leave to do their things.
“When we found these thugs, one of them who is said to be owning that flat, attempted to flee by climbing inside the ceiling,” he said.
“We had to teach them a lesson. We can’t have people dropping like flies, lose their things while these boys live like they are not doing anything wrong,” he said.
Angry residents of Bophelong burnt down a block of flats in Faraday searching for crooks terrorizing their kasi.
This is after dozens went on a manhunt, amid finding the suspected thugs, they took them on a parade after setting the building alight.#SedibengSter #VaalNews pic.twitter.com/HBlSQN1GQ8— Sifiso Jimta (@JimtaSifiso) April 3, 2023
Thabiso Mokoena who claimed to live in the building told the paper, how suspects who were being sought by the community dug out copper just outside the building.
“The trench outside the building is the doing of these boys. They dug out the copper running in these grounds and still sleep peacefully in the building. We see people come here looking for them. One will believe that they are guilty, because we hardly see them go to work. All they do is smoke in the two rooms in the flat,” he said.
While the community tugged the duo on Curie Boulevard, several cops from the Sedibeng Cluster saved the men who were seemingly in pain due to the beating and subsequently transported them to hospital.
At the time of publishing this story, the police spokesman on standby had not responded to the media inquiries made by the paper.
