A 21-year-old KwaZulu-Natal man was allegedly beaten by an angry mob to death for raping a goat after his attempt to break into its owner’s house failed.
Contstable Thenjiswa Ngcobo, the police spokesperson, said the incident occurred in the early hours on Monday in the rural village Qwayinduku, near Mtunzini.
“It is alleged by a 61-year-old female that in the early hours of September 5 she was sleeping when she heard someone breaking a window in her house. She told the intruder she would use a bush knife if he tried to come in through the window he had broken.
“When the 21-year-old failed to enter the house, he turned and raped a goat that belong to the woman. When she heard her goat crying, she woke her son who was sleeping in another house and the man was caught in action.”
Members of the community gathered at the elderly woman’s home and took the law into their own hands and beat the man to death.
“Police were called to the murder scene where the man was found with head and face injuries. He was declared head on the scene. A case of murder was registered at Mthunzini police station and the matter is under investigation,” said Ngcobo.
Mhlaba Memela, the provincial social development spokesperson said they were shocked to learn about the incident.
“We are very concerned about the immoral conditions in our society. That the deceased attempted to rape an elderly person is an indication of lack of moral fibre. However, it is also very concerning that in our communities, families allow the aged to sleep alone in separate rooms where criminals take advantage of them.”
Memela said social workers are going to visit the elderly woman and give her the necessary psychosocial support she needs.
Source: News24, Times Live, the South African, Briefly, image from Times Live: Alaister Russell