East London police have launched two investigations following the murder of a Scenery Park man and the torching of his friend last week.
The murdered man, Xolela Maphayi, 25, was accused of being behind the disappearance of his girlfriend, 24-year-old Bongiwe Madondo, while his friend, Msindisi Makhanavu, 27, was burned alive for allegedly hiding Maphayi from the community.
Community members told the Dispatch the mob believed Maphayi had killed Madondo as he had allegedly committed similar crimes before.
East London police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala said a case of murder was under investigation.
Police are also investigating a case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after Maphayi’s friend Makhanavu was torched alive by the community for allegedly hiding him.
Due to fears that people might go and finish him off, both police and community leaders could not reveal his state or whereabouts.
The Dispatch understands that he is fighting for his life at a provincial hospital.
Mqala said: “A woman was reported missing at the Scenery Park police station on September 24 and after that we got news that a man who was apparently last seen with the missing lady was killed by a mob.”
Mqala said the police were still on the lookout for the missing woman.
She said a police chopper was commissioned on Tuesday and assisted the police to comb a bushy area for the missing woman.
According to a close source, who requested anonymity for fear of victimisation, the murdered man was seen wearing a cap and a jacket allegedly belonging to Madondo, fuelling speculation that he was responsible for her disappearance.
“They asked him where the owner of the clothing was and he misled them by saying she was at a relative’s home in Duncan Village, so the mob went to that address, where they were told that she had left with the man.”
Maphayi lay low for a while but after a search, the mob found and killed him.
Mqala said a case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm was opened and that police are looking for two suspects. “(Makhanavu) could only identify two people from the suspects that assaulted him. We are still looking for them.” — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za.