RESIDENTS sprang to action when they were woken up by the sound of a whistle in the early hours of Saturday, 26 November.
They followed the sound and bust a cattle theft suspect who was caught in a kraal in Matebeleng section in Makapanstad, North West. The suspect was tied up in the street. His legs were tied so he could not run and residents interrogated him.
A resident said: “Livestock has been stolen in our area. Maybe this one can tell us who he works with so people can get their animals back.”
The owner of the kraal refused to identify himself.
He thanked the community for acting fast.
“This man was inside the kraal when I spotted him. I called for help before he could run away. I want to thank all the community members for responding quickly,” he said.
Before the suspect was beaten too badly, the police arrived and arrested him.
North West police spokeswoman Captain Aafje Botma said a case of attempted stock theft was opened. However, she could not confirm that the man caught by the community was the culprit.
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“A 19-year-old man alleged he was walking when some people tried to attack him and he ran into a kraal. He was assaulted by community members,” she said.
She said the suspect was in hospital under police guard.
