Mthethwa to fight mob justice
2011-08-15 21:19
Johannesburg - Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa will attempt to prevent further mob justice when he visits the Eastern Cape this week.
He intended visiting other provinces, but would start holding public meetings in the Eastern Cape, to stop the crime from spreading across the country, his spokesperson Zweli Mnisi said in a statement on Monday.
"The people in the Eastern Cape should know that those that were part of the mob justice incidents will be arrested."
Locals would be given an opportunity to voice dissatisfaction with the police, and discuss crime in the province. Mthethwa would also speak to police officers.
Two suspected criminals were killed during the weekend. A man was beaten to death for allegedly trying to rape an elderly woman in Indwe.
He was also accused of the rape and murder of a woman in July.
In Pola Park, Mthatha a 28-year-old man was beaten to death after he was accused of several house breaking incidents.
The first public meeting would be held in Tsolo on Wednesday.
This was the minister's second visit to the province to discuss mob justice in as many months.
"They are frustrated with the reaction time of police, and they feel that the system always lets criminals go free," Mthethwa told Sapa after meeting Uitenhage residents in July.
There were seven cases of mob justice in the province in June, police said.
- SAPA
