Teacher stoned to death by mob
STAFF and pupils at a Limpopo school are still reeling from shock after a teacher was stoned to death by an angry mob, which suspected him of kidnapping an 8-year-old girl.
The incident took place on Tuesday at about 6pm in Nobody GaMothiba, outside Mankweng in Polokwane.
Mankweng police spokesman Constable Moses Molepo said the teacher, James Mokoma, 26, was attacked while on his way from school.
According to the police, the teacher had found the girl playing with others on the street and allegedly taken her by the hand, walking towards the main road.
He said the incident was allegedly witnessed by the girl's mother, who shouted for help since she thought the teacher was kidnapping the girl.
"Members of the community allegedly chased the teacher and assaulted him with an assortment of weapons, while others stoned him to death," Molepo said.
Police had arrested one suspect in connection with the incident and said more arrests were expected.
The deceased's father Victor Mokoma said he learnt about his son's death while he was driving through Nobody from Polokwane.
"I saw a group of people at the side of the road and when I went there they told me that they had killed a Zimbabwean man who they suspected was attempting to kidnap or rape a child.
"But when I advanced to the scene, I realised that the Zimbabwean they were referring to was my son.
"This is not on. My son was just an innocent man working in this community as a teacher, trying to prepare a better future for our children," Mokoma said.
"I want everyone who had a hand in his murder to be locked up behind bars and explain why they mistook my son for a Zimbabwean," he said angrily.
Mothiba Primary School deputy principal Mathipa Manthata described Mokoma as a very quiet teacher who "would not even hurt a fly".
"He was a committed community worker, a hard-working teacher and a man of integrity who posed as a father to our children, a brother to teachers and a sportsman, as he was responsible for our school sport."
candilious
Aaaaai Limpopo always in k@k give the other Provinces a chance to shine too..jirreee..that province really need Jesus to much is happening thereReport Abuse
LBS
Oh my word!! Do the people there live in the dark ages that they can turn to violence in a split second and k ill another human being for no apparent reason?!The implication of the article was that had it been a Zimbabwean, it would have been justified????
My sympathies to James Mokoma's family, what a waste of a young man's life!!
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Pointman
People are losing faith in the system to deliver order and justice so they resort to this. Suspicion and anger is a poor substitute for the order and justice. We might never know what was going on here.Report Abuse
sarmologadi
aooo batho sum ppl r cruel...botho bo kae hle, stoning sum1 jst lyk dat???Report Abuse
ApelMankotsana
@candi....The truth of the matter is that there are thousands of incidents happening on a daily basis in other provinces too which go unreported by Sowetan. You will recall that Sowetan has a full-time offices and a bureau on Polokwane unlike in other provinces where Sowetan does not have full-time office and are relying on freelancers...It also depend on which kind of newspaper do you read..if you read The Mail & Guardian, The Star and others you will not hear about these stories....I am not reading Daily Sun but i bet if you read it you will find very horrifying stories in there from other provinces, irrespective.Report Abuse
RobinH
Apel... With respect, it is irrelevant how newspapers report what in this case. To me the horrifying truth I am forcing myself to come to terms with, is that our people behave in such a barbaric way. Is this what people think democracy means? That the rule of law - or simple orderly civilised behaviour - takes second place to the will of uninformed benighted people with no grasp of any form of social conscience other than their immediate desires.? I'm sorry, but such thinking is just sick.Report Abuse
pizozo
Barbaric acts. The child's mother should be arrested. She is the one who triggered all this. Mos.adi wa moloi. Now the innocent guy is deadReport Abuse
Casey
Please Stop This Mob Justice Nonsense.. In many cases its innocent people who suffer bcoz these fools think they can take the law in their own hands - that's premitive behaivour. I agree with RobinH - Thats just SICK.Report Abuse