DE DEUR – The Sedibeng District Municipality (SDM) MMC for Public Safety, Busang Tsotetsi has condemned the actions of a vigilante group operating in Lakeside.
The group which is said to be operating independently from the South African Police Services (SAPS) and the Community Policing Forum (CPF) is said to be terrorizing the community as they take the law into their own hands and physically assault alleged criminals.
Tsotesi said that any form of vigilantism should not be allowed as there are processes that have to be followed to bring alleged criminals to book. Tsotesi was speaking following his visit to the family of a 23-year-old man that was brutally attacked by a group of men wearing balaclavas and black clothes.
Speaking to Sedibeng Ster, Tsotetsi said that the matter would not go unattended.
“As government, we condemn this kind of vigilantism where people will just take the law into their own hands. We are going to engage various stakeholders to ensure that this comes to an end.
“The matter is now under the SAPS. No one has the right to take the law into their own hands because there are processes that have to be followed by law enforcement. We want to see that residents are protected; the police are there to maintain law and order and action should be taken against these people. no one is above the law.”
Head of Department of Safety in Ward 06, Dimakatso Leoke says: “I’m disappointed by people that are busy terrorising the community. These are people wearing balaclavas and they go around assaulting members of the community. This is unlawful and we do not know the reason for this.
“A lot of kids are being beaten by this group of people and the community has been complaining to me as the head of safety in this ward. This group of people is not cooperating with the CPF and SAPS and they have not even been vetted because you have to get vetted in order to be recognized. I condemn their actions and ask that they give the CPF space to work with the police in order to alleviate crime in the area.”
