NOT
since the dark days of apartheid had such monstrous brutality been witnessed
ekasi.
Tormented,
irrational residents of Zandspruit, west of Joburg, searched for brazen
gangsters that had allegedly broken into shacks.
“The
whistle was blown and two were caught,” said a witness, describing the events
of the night of Tuesday, 18 May.
“They
were beaten until they revealed where the other members stay. By 11pm nine gang
members had been caught.”
They
were dragged to a soccer field, beaten with weapons and stones and set on fire.
By
the time residents were done four alleged thugs were dead and five were taken
to hospital.
Most
residents were pleased.
“They
rape, mug and threaten everyone’s peace and safety,” said a resident.
But
grieving mum Patricia Seapi, who believes her son Abel (24) wasn’t a tsotsi,
said God would fight on her behalf.
“He
was a good son. He showed no sign of criminal behaviour. I find it hard to
belive he’d inflict pain on anyone.”
Patricia
said if they had a problem with him, they should have come to her.
“I’d
have dealt with him or even paid for whatever it is they claim he stole. It’s
not nice to have your child slaughtered like an animal.”
Patricia
pleaded with police to arrest whoever was involved.
Ward
councillor Victor Masenya said the area is a thugs’ playground.
“People
lock themselves inside their shacks, fearing they might be next,” said Masenya.
But he condemned any form of mob justice.
“It will only make the situation worse,” he said.
Neighbours
said they felt for the mothers, but their children were “terrorists”.
One
resident said she looked through the window and saw her half-dressed neighbour
being dragged down the street, and she followed the mob.
“Nine
guys were tied up and beaten. Cops tried to intervene. The mob chased them
away. They parked near a rank and watched helplessly,” she said.
Captain
Kay Makhubele confirmed the horrible incident.
“Four
died on the scene and five were rushed to hospital.”
Cops
were searching for the killers
