{"id":24993,"date":"2013-11-05T03:56:25","date_gmt":"2013-11-05T01:56:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/2013\/11\/mthethwa-condemns-khutsong-violence\/"},"modified":"2013-11-05T03:56:25","modified_gmt":"2013-11-05T01:56:25","slug":"mthethwa-condemns-khutsong-violence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/mthethwa-condemns-khutsong-violence\/","title":{"rendered":"Mthethwa condemns Khutsong violence"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa<\/a> says mob justice is unjustifiable and that perpetrators of such crimes will face the full might of the law.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou cannot resolve crime through committing crime. It is simply unacceptable,\u201d Mthethwa said on Monday.<\/p>\n

This is in the wake of mob justice incidents in Khutsong<\/a>, Gauteng, on Sunday night, where six people were attacked and killed for allegedly being involved in gangsterism.<\/p>\n

It is alleged that on Sunday, about 400 Khutsong male community members gathered for a meeting in an open field in Extension 1 to discuss gangsterism in the area.<\/p>\n

Shortly after the meeting, they split into smaller groups. One of the groups proceeded to a house in Extension 3, where it attacked a 61-year-old traditional healer and set him and his house alight. He died as a result of his injuries.<\/p>\n

Splinter groups went on and searched for known gangsters in the community. Two were set alight, while others were stoned to death.<\/p>\n

Police were called to the area, but the vehicles that responded to the calls were stoned and damaged.<\/p>\n

Mthethwa said the challenge of crime facing Khutsong is not unique and in most communities, \u201cpeople do not resort to lawlessness or become arm-chair critics\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is really worrying is the fact that the perpetrators of such acts are often perceived as heroes by some members of communities when such barbaric killings take place.\u00a0 Police are in hot pursuit of these so-called \u2018heroes\u2019 because there is nothing heroic when you burn and kill people,\u201d said Mthethwa.<\/p>\n

Government, the minister said, will not tolerate kangaroo courts that decide the fate of other people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is criminality and nothing else. The task of society is to report those who commit crime to the police and in turn the police, will apprehend them,\u201d said Mthethwa.<\/p>\n

Police have increased their visibility in the area.\u00a0 The Public Order Policing Unit has also been roped in to help stabilise Khutsong.<\/p>\n

The area is volatile and police are patrolling. \u2013 SAnews.gov.za<\/p>\n

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