CAPE TOWN - Khayelitsha residents were left shocked after a brutal mob justice attack in which a man was allegedly forced to drink battery acid and assaulted.
According to residents, the victim from the Site B section was attacked by a mob while walking at about 1am on Tuesday. He had been accused of stealing a sound system and a car battery.
Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said the victim found with stab wounds on the face and in the head was declared dead on the scene by medical personnel.
“The circumstances surrounding the death of an unknown male (Tuesday) morning at about 1am in Site B Khayelitsha are under investigation.
“Khayelitsha police were called to the crime scene where they found the victim with wounds to his face and head,” said Twigg.
A resident who asked not to be named for fear of victimisation said she recalls the man’s cries for help during the attack.
“The stolen items were later found on someone else who is a well-known thief in the area,” the resident said.
It was suspected that the man’s friends had committed theft and when they found him walking at night, locals thought he may have something to do with the missing items, the resident said.
“They first hit him with stones and some were stabbing him and I could see that he was confused because he was asking why he was being beaten. They continued without responding to him, he was trying to escape but he could not because they overpowered him.
“A few minutes later, they took a battery and forced him to drink battery acid but even then he was fighting, they then decided to cut his private parts. He was forced to drink acid and that is when he died,” she said.
Site B Community Police Forum CPF deputy secretary Nozuko Mdingi urged authorities to thoroughly investigate the matter.
“This has to come to an end where people will do as they please. It is very important that they first take the suspect to the CPF or Saps if the matter seems to be urgent. My worry is that they killed the wrong person and now what will his family say.
“I am sure those who were at the forefront of this will never humble themselves and apologise to his family or assist the family in burying him. No woman would be happy to know that her son who has done nothing wrong was brutally killed by the same community that is supposed to protect people and work with the police,” said Mdingi.
Anyone with information can anonymously contact Crime Stop at 086 0010 111 or SMS Crime Line at 32211.
Cape Times