Anti-vigilante worker held for murder
2012-10-24 10:58
Cape Town - An anti-vigilante campaigner and three others have been charged with a vigilante killing in Mfuleni, Cape Town, according to a report on Wednesday.
The Cape Times reported that Angy Peter, 32, her partner Isaac Mbadu, 26, Christopher Dina, 25, and Azola Dayimane, 24, appeared in court for the kidnapping and death on October 14 of Siphiwo Rowan Mbevu.
According to the Social Justice Coalition (SJC), police alleged Mbevu was necklaced. He was found severely burnt and beaten.
Peter was a founding member of the SJC and instrumental in the bid to have a commission of inquiry look into the reasons for the vigilante killings in Khayelitsha this year.
SJC chairperson Gavin Silber reportedly condemned Mbevu's murder but claimed the man had been a known criminal.
"He is reported to have regularly stolen from and assaulted residents and, despite their regular reports to the police, action was rarely taken," he said.
"Frustrated by this, community members had on more than one occasion attempted to assault or kill Mbevu. Peter... intervened on several occasions to prevent this from happening."
According to the report, Silber said Peter had recently reformed Mbevu, who had started working as an SJC activist.
The four would apply for bail at the Blue Downs Magistrate's Court on November 1.
- SAPA
