THE increasing brutality of vigilante killings highlighted by the necklacing of a suspected thief by angry residents in Gugulethu is evidence that communities do not believe the police can deliver the levels of justice people seek.
This sentiment was expressed by community leader Phindile Maqubu after a suspected thief was subjected to the horrific practice of necklacing in Kanana informal settlement in Gugulethu yesterday.
Police spokesperson Andre Traut said the murder of an unknown man was under investigation. “No one has been arrested as yet.”
Maqubu said he was woken by a man cleaning along the N2 telling him of his discovery. He hurried to the scene and found the remains.
“We are against people taking the law into their own hands,” he said.
“We always advise them to call the police or community leaders when they suspect people of wrongdoing. Just yesterday (Monday) we saved three young men from being assaulted.”
Residents said they were assaulting and burning suspected criminals because they were terrorising the community, breaking into their houses and robbing people on their way to and from work.
The necklaced man, according to the residents, was caught and dragged to an open field along the N2 and beaten before he was burnt.
On Monday night the same man and three friends had been caught with items stolen from one of the nearby houses and beaten up, but were freed by other sympathetic residents.
Residents said they were scared of going on record with information in case of reprisals. “We are teaching criminals lessons and would-be criminals that crime does not pay,” said one, who would not provide a name.
“People are tired because the same criminals get arrested and police release them a few days later and they commit the same crime, in some cases targeting people who apprehended them.
“Going to the police is wasting time because the justice system fails us.”
“No resident lit them up, they lit themselves,” said another resident.
“They put the tyre on their bodies themselves.”