Incidences of mob justice continue to be on the rise, as frustrated South Africans take the law into their own hands to bring justice to those who commit crimes.
In turn, those who want to bring justice upon criminals have become criminals themselves.
Residents in Zaaiplaas, Limpopo, were shocked at the murder of community member Anna Mashifane (39) after a suspect named Lolo Madonsela (30) was arrested on 18 April for allegedly axing her to death and sucking blood from her body.
Within the space of four days after his arrest, 11 people were arrested and charged with arson and public violence after the home of Madonsela’s parents was burnt down.
There have been several incidences of mob justice that have taken in a short space of time since January this year, however the biggest spike in mob justice incidences were seen in March.
- In January, a 24-year-old man from Dambuza in Pietermaritzburg was killed after residents accused him of stealing pots. He was stoned to death.
- In February, two men were dosed with petrol and set alight by community members in Freedom Park in Phokeng, North West, after they were caught attempting to steal a car.
- On March 10, residents in Caleb Motshabi informal settlement in Mangaung necklaced and burnt down the shacks of two men suspected of robbery and murder.
- On March 11, about 300 members of Kanana Extension Four community in Rabie Ridge allegedly burnt a man to death after accusing him of murder.
- On March 13, two men were killed in separate mob justice incidences. In Vuwani (Limpopo), a mob chased a man they accused of being a criminal and beat him to death, while in Giyani a man was sjamboked to death.
- On March 18, a man from Eldorado Park was beaten to death by residents who accused him of the murder of another, alleging that he dumped the victim under a bridge.
- On April 4, two suspected robbers were burnt to death and two others were injured in Ga-Kgwete near Mecklenburg in Limpopo after robbing a local business man of an undisclosed amount of money.
