By Lesedi Sibiya-Diplomatic Insider
Authorities in the Western Cape have opened up an investigation regarding four dead bodies found in an open field in Dunoon on Sunday.
The bodies were found 1 metre apart from each other near the N7 off-ramp on Malibongwe Drive. Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg had given confirmation that Milnerton Police had been called to the scene, where they had discovered the burnt bodies of the four men.
“Police reports indicate that Milnerton police were called out to the N7 off-ramp on Malibongwe Drive, where they discovered the burnt remains of the deceased persons on an open field adjacent to the road” , said Twigg.
“Determinations were made based on the crime scene that tyres were used to set the victims alight. The circumstances surrounding the crime incident remain unclear, and the motive is yet to be determined,” said Twigg.
The Milnerton Community Police Forum (CPF) has condemned what has been described as an act of mob justice, and have urged residents to not take the law into their own hands.
The communications manager for the Milnerton CF, Edgar Wright, has stated that the organisation is well aware of the murders and has stated that the incident is an example of a “tragedy, not justice,”.
Wright expressed that the four men had been allegedly accused by community members of breaking into informal settlement homes in Zwezwe, as well robbing residents and the sexual assault of a woman.
“The four men were taken to open ground near the N7 and Malibongwe Drive, where they were assaulted, set alight and burnt beyond recognition,” said Wright.
The allegations made against these men have not been confirmed by the police. Despite what the four men were being accused of, Wright expressed that this still does not condone vigilantism.
“While this frustration is understandable, vigilante violence only adds to the loss a community has already suffered and exposes those who participate in it to prosecution for murder” said Wright.
The CPF have stated that they will work effectively to strengthen active Neighbourhood watches across the Milnerton area, which includes Dunoon, as a means for community members to address crime in their neighbourhoods.
The CPF have expressed that in addition to expanding the neighbourhood watch, they will also work closely with the police. The CPF also confirmed a hotspot policing station. “This means a specific, targeting policing methodology will be implemented in the area to assess whether it can bring about measurable improvements in crime levels” , said Wright.