Mfuleni – A suspected robber met a gruesome end in the early hours of Saturday morning in Mfuleni's Covid-19 informal settlement, as fed-up residents took the law into their own hands. The man was reportedly caught, severely beaten, and then set alight, allegedly by a mob enraged by rampant crime in the area.
The incident, which occurred around 2am on Saturday, 21 June, highlights the growing frustration and desperation within South Africa's high-density suburbs and informal communities, where residents often feel abandoned by law enforcement and increasingly resort to vigilante justice.
A local woman told Daily Sun that she was awakened by shouting and commotion outside her home. “I heard the screaming early in the morning, and it was still dark, so I could not see what was happening. What I heard from the whole chaos that was going on, the deceased and his friends are from Philippi. They came to Covid-19 to rob. That's what the deceased said while he was being assaulted. Three of his friends managed to escape from the fury of the residents,” she said.
Residents explained that the already dire situation is exacerbated by poor lighting and a lack of electricity. The absence of streetlights plunges the informal settlement into complete darkness at night, providing cover for criminals to operate freely and terrorise households, particularly those inhabited by women living alone.
The news crew arrived at the scene to find the man’s half-burnt body lying next to the burnt-out shell of the Avanza, with shocked residents gathered nearby. The scene served as a chilling testament to the community's boiling anger and their willingness to resort to extreme measures in the face of perceived lawlessness.
Residents expressed deep frustration over the ongoing criminal activity in the area. They reported that housebreakings and assaults have become frequent, especially during the night when their homes are most vulnerable.
Police spokesman Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed the incident. “Mfuleni police registered a murder case for investigation following the discovery of the body of an unknown man on an open field in the Covid informal settlement, Mfuleni, on Saturday morning, 21 June 2025, at about 9.30am," he said.
“Police members attended to the crime scene where they found the victim who was burnt lying on his stomach next to a vehicle. The victim was declared dead on the scene by medical personnel. The motive for the attack forms part of the police investigation. The suspect/s are yet to be arrested,” Twigg added.
The police have urged anyone with information about the killing to contact CrimeStop on 08600 10111 or submit an anonymous tip-off via the MySAPS mobile app.
This incident follows a similar case in Langa the previous day, where two men were killed, allegedly for robbing train commuters, highlighting a concerning trend of vigilante justice across Cape Town's townships.
The Mfuleni incident also brings into sharp focus the disturbing practice of "necklacing," a form of mob justice that has a dark history in South Africa. Necklacing typically involves placing a tyre around a person's neck, dousing them in petrol, and setting them ablaze. This barbaric method of execution, often fuelled by anger and a perceived lack of justice, has been used in South Africa, particularly during the apartheid era and in its aftermath, as a means of punishing those accused of crimes or collaboration with the authorities.
While the frequency of necklacing may have decreased in recent years, the underlying factors that contribute to mob justice – such as high crime rates, distrust of the police, and a sense of powerlessness – remain prevalent in many South African communities.
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