Increased police presence was noted in one of South Africa’s most volatile townships after a distressing incident where a “mob” allegedly tied up and set fire to seven men accused of involvement in a crime spree. Both police officials and residents confirmed the heightened security measures.
Diepsloot, a township north of Johannesburg with over 350,000 residents, has been grappling with alarming levels of violent crimes, including homicides and sexual assaults. This has prompted community leaders to voice concerns about inadequate government assistance.
Police verified the launch of a murder inquiry upon the discovery of the charred remains of the seven young men.
The alert regarding two “burned bodies” was raised late Friday night, as per police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo in a statement to the media.
Furthermore, an additional five bodies were found in a different area of Diepsloot in the early hours of Saturday. Masondo indicated that preliminary investigations suggested the victims were assaulted and immolated by a mob in both incidents.
The bodies of the five men, approximately 20 years old, were discovered on a heap of bricks in a wasteland within the township.
“They were all chased, caught and tied before being killed, yes it was a ‘necklace’,” said one resident, referring to the use of tyres or rope put over the upper body of victims before they are set alight.
“There are more police today and we hope they will stay because we need them,” the resident added, speaking on condition of anonymity because of tensions in the township. “There have been a lot of robberies and people are angry.”
While an exact motive hasn’t been confirmed, Masondo strongly denounced vigilantism, highlighting that such actions constitute severe criminal offenses.
Previously, in June, three community leaders led demonstrations protesting against a string of crimes in the town, including bombings and robberies at a petrol station.
South Africa, with a population of approximately 60 million, has witnessed a surge in murders, averaging 68 per day in the second quarter of 2023, marking a nearly 20 percent increase from the same period in 2019.