Village kangaroo court takes a deadly turn

Two men were beaten, a house gutted and a woman shot and killed following mayhem at a “kangaroo court” in a village outside Alice.

The incident happened on Sunday afternoon in Jani village about 5km outside Alice when two seven-year-old boys accused village residents Qinisekile Matakane and Mzwabantu Jantjies of stealing a goat.

The boys claimed they had seen the two men tying up a goat on Friday afternoon.

Relying solely on the “testimony” of the two children, Matakane and Jantjies were hauled before a meeting of villagers on Sunday.

Deputy chairman of the village, 70-year-old Thozamile Kilimani, said the matter was brought to his attention and a “court” sat on Sunday after the two kids agreed they would testify.

Matakane and Jantjies were then fetched from their homes by a group of 15 youths and brought before the gallery inside the community hall.

“We told them the charges against them and showed them the witnesses who saw them tie the goat up, they denied ever stealing the goat,” Kilimani said.

“We then asked the boys to stand up and show us who they saw stealing the goat, they pointed to the two men. We then realised these people were the ones making our livestock disappear in this village.”

Matakane and Jantjies were assaulted with sticks and fists and also pelted with stones while they were inside the hall.

Matakane said they had told the other villagers they did not steal any goats, but no one would listen.

“Some people went outside and fetched tyres used at a nearby creche and brought them into the yard. They started burning them and the councillor said since we are not telling the truth, we must go out in the fire and maybe the truth will come out,” Matakane said.

Ward 13 ANC councillor Thobeka Mjo confirmed having attended proceedings but said she arrived when the youths were becoming unruly.

“I said they must be taken out so proceedings could continue peacefully inside because we were no longer hearing each other because of all the noise,” Mjo said.

By 4pm, members of the Alice police station arrived in the village.

After successfully retrieving the two men from the hall, angry residents are alleged to have pelted police vans with stones.

Police responded by firing live ammunition, with 50-year-old mother of four Mileka Peter being hit below the arm.

She died in the ambulance while on her way to Victoria Hospital.

Her last words according to her younger sister Noluthando Peter, were: “Do you see me?” referring to her being hit and wounded by a bullet.

Eastern Cape police spokesman Khaya Tonjeni said: “A police officer was kidnapped when he was trying to rescue the two community members who were accused of stealing a goat.

“The two victims were being assaulted by members of the community. Two warning shots were fired when members of the community denied access to the police.

“The police managed to get in and released the two victims, but on their way out, the community members pelted vans with stones while the officer was attacked and assaulted with stones.

“They grabbed an officer’s service pistol from his waist and during the struggle, the firearm discharged and hit Mileka,” Tonjeni said.

Tonjeni said the shooting was being investigated by members of the police’s Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid).

Ipid spokesman Robbie Raburabu confirmed the matter had been brought to their attention.

“The allegations are that the police attended a scene but were pelted with stones and one of them was also physically assaulted.

“In the process of defending themselves and a victim being assaulted, the police discharged their weapons and in the process the deceased was hit.”

Matakane and Jantjies, who are both in hiding for fear of their safety, have been warned not to set foot in the village again.

“We don't want criminals here,” the deputy chairman said.