BOPHELONG – A man was hacked to death on Sunday morning in a suspected gang rivalry.
This comes after Percy Tlali tried to stop a brewing fight between his close friend and a suspected gang member at a local tavern in Bophelong.
Moments later, the 27-year-old and one of his friends were chased by scores of Mopheme members.
During the chase, one of two fell into an irrigation ditch, delaying his escape.
Just a stone’s throw from his home, the young man was ambushed, and hacked with objects in a neighbour’s yard leading to his death.
Speaking to Sedibeng Ster, the grieving brother of the deceased, Thabiso Tlali said he was fetched from home in the wee hours following the brutal incident.
“I was summoned to the scene by a friend after Percy’s attack. According to him [the friend], Percy’s friend quarrelled with one of the gang members and Percy tried to stop them,” he said.
“I was further told that my brother fell into a ditch when they were running away from the group. When he [Percy] diverted his route with the group on his heels, they found him hiding at one of the nearby houses and hacked him. He had a bruise on the head that seems to suggest the cause of death.”
Thabiso said the neighbours described his brother’s helpless scream during the attack.
“How eyewitnesses described the incident and my brother screaming for his life is what breaks me. When I got to the scene, he was bloodied and wet with bruises on his head and upper body. I also found a clean pocket knife on the scene. It’s sad how people who knew him would easily take his life like that,
“My brother was not part of a gang, however his attackers were,” he said.
Thabiso said his family is battling to come to terms with the murder of his brother, especially since he has very young kids.
“We are heartbroken, we had expected a lot from Percy. He recently got a job and had just spent his first payment to celebrate his appointment. He was so excited that he would finally be able to provide for his family, especially his daughter (7) and son (1). We hope the law can take its course and apprehend the suspects.”
Vanderbijlpark police spokesperson Sergeant Sabelo Sigcu said a murder case is under investigation.
