Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Vusi Shongwe, has called on the police to urgently bring to book all suspects to the existence of a vigilante group around Acornhoek in Bushbuckridge following the arrest of fifteen suspects. Eight of the suspects have already appeared in court while another seven people will appear today.
The suspects have been charged with assault and kidnapping. The bail hearing for all suspects will be heard on Monday, 14 July 2014. The MEC held a meeting with Acornhoek Station management where he was briefed about the existence of a structure that is reportedly abducting crime suspects and subject them to a kangaroo court before they were assaulted them. The group, which reportedly has links with Bushbuckridge Residents Association (BRA) political party, was operating from an unoccupied government building that is situated in the plantations.
It is alleged that the group was kidnapping people who were suspected to be criminals and brutally beating them up. It has also emerged that people were forced to agree that they were involved in criminal activities.
The victims, who are now in a Witness Protection Programme, told the MEC and his delegation how they were subjected to assault and slavery for days. They have also indicated they would be taken in for days and kept in unknown places where they were being beaten. It is also alleged that some community members were reporting criminal cases at those offices and are no longer reporting at the police station.
Shongwe says anybody linked to vigilantism or any crime must face the full wrath of the law regardless of their social standing or political parties they belong to. He said no person or groupings are allowed to take law into their own hands because the country has a competent criminal justice system.
“We are not a banana republic and anybody who witnesses crime must report to the police and not take law into their own hands. Anybody who resorts to vigilantism should be prepared to face fire,” the MEC said.
He has further called on Bushbuckridge Municipality to deal with all buildings that are dilapidated or remain unoccupied for extended periods of time as some mischievous people use such buildings to conduct clandestine activities. He said failure by the municipality to deal with such buildings will lead to increased incidences of violent crime in the area. He has called on the municipality and the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport to consider renting such buildings for either business or residential purposes.
Accompanied by the Deputy Provincial Commissioner, Major General Thulani Phahla, MEC Shongwe was shocked to see the condition of the building where these gruesome activities took place and immediately called for the demolition of the building.
Enquiries:
Joseph Mabuza
Cell: 082 678 1450
Tel: 013 766 4055
E-mail: emabuza@mpg.gov.za
