By Anele Mjekula and Genevieve Serra
A Cape Town community gripped by fear of crime has taken to patrolling their streets with sticks and knives to protect residents.
But the bold move hasn't been welcomed by all and at least two men say they were beaten up by a bloodthirsty mob of Joe Slovo residents who mistook them for criminals.
The men suffered serious head injuries at the hands of the patrollers and are begging Milnerton cops to step in and regain control of the area.
Vuyisani Diko, 32, said he was on his way back from work when he was assaulted by the group of patrollers last week.
He said the vigilantes, who started operating about a month ago, found him sitting outside his house and asked what he was doing out there so late.
"I told them it was hot inside and they hit me with something that looked like an iron rod or a wooden plank," said Diko.
In a separate incident, Mzingisi Sbhuqashe, who was attacked by the same group, was so disoriented that he has gone missing after being discharged from hospital on Wednesday.
Community leader Cowen Banjatwa, 36, said most residents are completely against the idea of people taking the law into their own hands.
"We discourage the patrollers from beating people up and we would like to appeal to them to stop carrying knives or other sharp objects," he said.
Community Safety MEC Lennit Max has echoed Banjatwa's sentiments.
"Vigilantism is a criminal act and will be treated as such. Citizens must have the utmost respect for the rule of law and let the proper authorities deal with criminals," he urged.
"Anyone with information regarding such incidents is encouraged to go to the police. This information will be dealt with the necessary sensitivity."
The recent violence is just the latest in a spate of vigilante attacks across the Cape Flats.
Most recently, Monde Malgas, 16, was tortured and his corpse was then dumped at Monwabisi beach after he was accused of stealing from neighbours.
Attacks like these are becoming commonplace but at least one of the city's top cops, Commissioner Jeremy Veary who heads Mitchells Plain Police Station, says he has the solution for acts of street justice.
Veary said crime-ridden Mitchells Plain was way ahead of other areas because the suburb is strictly controlled by street committees.
"There have been no incidents of mob justice in Mitchells Plain," explained Veary.
"The reason for this is because we have street committees in place that are structured and ordered. With street committees, there can't be acts of mob justice.
"They are working down at street level and to a degree of discipline and control."
But Veary's tactic has fallen short in Wesbank, Delft, where the area is monitored by street committees who seem powerless to stop violence.
Community leader Lindy Jacobs, 40, said mob justice attacks are plentiful in her neighbourhood and anybody could be next.
Jacobs, herself, has witnessed beatings taking place on her doorstep when angry community members began stoning a police vehicle when they suspected the cop of being drunk.
Jacobs said frustrated community members took the law into their own hands because they believe the justice system has failed them.
"Mob justice is alive here in Wesbank – if the police don't do their work, the people will do their work for them," said Jacobs.
Across town in Philippi, desperate ward councillors are hoping street committees will help eradicate the growing trend of kangaroo justice in the townships.
Ward councillor Bongani Mini said in Brown's Farm, street committee members have been a tool in preventing forms of vigilantism.
"We have visible and effective street committees in our neighbourhood," said Mini.
"Their activities deter people from taking the law to their own hands. We haven't had people's justice for months because of street committees."
According to studies, kangaroo courts occur mainly because of communities' frustration with poor policing.
In a report compiled by Bronwyn Harris, former project manager at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, she said vigilantism was an "eye for an eye" justice.
She said vigilante violence was frequently justified as "filling a policing gap" because of the lack of police effectiveness. – Daily Voice
In Cape Argus
CSVR is a multi-disciplinary institute that seeks to understand and prevent violence, heal its effects and build sustainable peace at the community, national and regional levels.
