Villagers stared as the young man walked down the street with his body painted in white. An angry pensioner had painted the young man after he allegedly stole a cellphone on Tuesday.
Pensioner Gezani Munwanati (63) from Makuleke Village in Limpopo said: “I left my cellphone in my room when I went to buy bread.
“When I returned, it was missing. My grandson said he saw the young man enter the room just after I left and steal my phone.”
Gezani found the 20-year-old man at his house.
“I asked him for my phone but he denied he took it,” he said.
“So I searched his room and found my phone there.
“I took the boy to my house, but I couldn’t beat him up or kill him.
“So I did something he will never forget.
“I painted his body and made him walk 250 metres down the street with his body covered in paint.
“My aim was to teach all village thieves that if they steal from me, they will be in big trouble.
“I bought this cellphone for R1 400 a few months ago.”
The young man told Daily Sun: “I would like to apologise to the old man for stealing his cellphone.
“I will never steal again as I have learned the hard way.
“I advise other kids not to commit crime. It’s not good. The first cellphone I stole was from the house of a local teacher.”
) Warrant Officer Sam Matsimbi said: “We appeal to community members not to take the law into their own hands. Whoever they suspect stole from them should be reported to the police.”
