Huge numbers of crimes committed in eMalahleni can be directly linked to the drug epidemic in the city. Drug addicts eventually resort to crime in order to feed their addiction.
On Thursday, September 20, a call regarding mob justice came through on the SACCW open channel. SACCW responder Flip Opperman attended to the scene. Flip continued to follow the community members to Duvha Park where the community had apprehended a suspect that had stolen a laptop and phone from one of the residents.
The community managed to take the suspects to where he sold the goods and he then confessed that he was addicted to ‘rocks’ and ‘pinch’.
The enraged community forced the suspect to phone his drug dealer to meet him at the park, saying he wants to buy drugs. Shortly after the phone call had been made, a man arrived in the park accompanied by his three-year-old son.
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The community moved swiftly and apprehended the man. Both the suspect and the drug dealer were then assaulted by the community.
SACCW operations co-ordinator, Maureen Scheepers arrived on scene and removed the child from the scene. She then contacted the Witbank Police.
The scene where the man was arrested.
The community then proceeded to force the drug dealer to take them to his place of residence. The community forcefully entered the residence and came across his drugs.
The suspect was arrested for possession of narcotics and transported after ER24 attended to his wounds. He appeared briefly in Witbank Magistrate’s Court on Friday, September 21, where he was released pending a forensic report on the narcotics found in his possession.
Captain Eddie Hall pleaded with the community to not take the law into their own hands but to rather report suspicious behaviour to the police.
“We understand that the community is frustrated by crime and drugs, but it is against the law to commit mob justice,” Capt Hall concluded.
