The police reported that on Monday, May 19 at about 02:00 Thabiso Sebatane was killed by a group of community members. According to the police, the information they had was that the victim was suspected of stealing scrap metal to sell at a certain scrap yard in Klipfontein.
Some community members saw him and he tried to run away, but was cornered at Santa Village where it is believed that the community members assaulted him to death.
Eight community members have been arrested after the assault and death of Sebatane, the youngest suspect is 20 years old while the oldest is 40 years old. All arrested suspects were charged with murder.
Mr John Sebatane has a total different version of what happened to his son. He says his son was allegedly killed after he went to fetch the family wheelbarrow from one of the suspects’ home. He said the same suspect went with his son, Thabiso to sell scrap at one of the scrap yards in Ferobank; they were using Thabiso’s wheelbarrow to carry the scrap.
“At the scrap yard, the suspect asked Thabiso to use his ID to sell his (suspect’s scrap) only to find that it was stolen. When the police were called the suspect ran away and Thabiso seeing that he was also going to be arrested too also ran away. Afterwards the suspect went to fetch the wheelbarrow at the scrap yard. It is believed that he confirmed to Thabiso that he sold it for R100,” said Mr Sebatane.
Mr Sebatane also said when Thabiso went to fetch the wheelbarrow he was accompanied by a younger brother and a relative. The suspect’s mother insulted Thabiso and other people joined in assaulting him. He later died when he was rushed to hospital according to Mr Sebatane. It was also said that the suspects made fire while they assaulted Thabiso.
Mr Sebatane said the family was shocked by the incident and believe that justice would be done. Thabiso was laid to rest at Bergersfort on Saturday, May 24.
Police said that mob justice is never a solution and will never be justified anywhere in South Africa. “All who did put a hand on the deceased will face the might of the law,” reads a statement from the police.
