A teenaged boy was beaten and set alight in a Cape Town informal settlement at the weekend, it was reported on Monday.

The Cape Times reported that a mob removed Sakhumzi Mawu, 18, from his home in Samora Machel around 5pm on Saturday.

Residents had allegedly found stolen goods in his room.

His aunt, Thembakazi Ngombane, told the newspaper she felt helpless watching the mob attack him.

“I could see that his body was already weak by the time they took him up the road and put a burning tyre on him,” she said.

“I could hear him crying and screaming and I felt bad, but there was nothing I could do about it.” 

Provincial police spokesman Andre Traut said no arrests had been made as yet.

“We will not allow the public to take the law into their own hands, and we will treat those who do as common criminals,” he said.

Mawu’s mother Thandi said her son had stolen a number of items from their shack in the last eight years.

“I think he started using drugs in 2004. He stole our TV, DVD and clothes... they found those people’s things in his room, so I can’t do anything.”

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Fri May 24 12:06:44 SAST 2013 ::

Nov 19, 2012

MommaC

Until the police stop being criminals and start DOING the job we pay them to, this horror is going to carry on. It is also sad that families have no way to stop their kids from falling into the tsotsi role. Surely a system where parents can report their kids and get some kind of help to pull them straight would help to prevent this?
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Nov 19, 2012

TLekota

Freedom is coming tomorrow. Get up and dust yourself its time to shine. Don't arrest yourself on drugs.
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Nov 19, 2012

GODESS

yoh! so he started stealing at the age of 10? Dear Lord!
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Nov 19, 2012

malemaforpresident

Mawu’s mother Thandi said her son had stolen a number of items from their shack in the last eight years.
“I think he started using drugs in 2004. He stole our TV, DVD and clothes... they found those people’s things in his room, so I can’t do anything.”
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Thandi this should be a relieve case closed isnt that he also stole your number of items


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Nov 19, 2012

22112JO

WE LIVE IN A PRIMITIVE SOCIETY ......PEOPLE TAKE THE LAW INTO THEIR OWN HANDS AND BECOME MURDERERS .SOUTH AFRICA NEEDS A MIRACLE TO RID US OF ALL THE ROT THAT HAS SET IN ..... .ALL WALKS OF LIFE IS SUBJECT TO THIS ROT .
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Nov 19, 2012

swona

I think this kind of msgs must be shown on tv as well, so people can know that, good citizens can get tired of being victimised for being good, paying taxes and stolen from by their fellow beings, have a rural home that has been broken into, it in not a nice feeling, we knew those days that neighbours will look after one another in rural areas, but those thing were of the 80's, before the police parants shoud do their duty, raise their sons well, if we had good family values, police work would be easy!
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Nov 19, 2012

s.cold

I REALLY LIKE THAT,,,,,
SIQEDA UKUSHISA OMUNYE LA E-ALEX,,


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Nov 19, 2012

MommaC

malemaforpresident

That is because you are not a mother. Hope springs eternal that things will change and a mother's love is not conditional
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Nov 19, 2012

spirro

mob justice

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Nov 19, 2012

Kon-Tiki

"Provincial police spokesman Andre Traut said no arrests had been made as yet." Do we really want the police to arrest a dead criminal? How heartless have we become as a society. Provincial police must not waste their resources trying to arrest exhausted citizens for the death of a known criminal. He was a pain to the society and now the pain is gone. The police must go looking for other criminals. There are plenty of them in Mzansi.
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