Steal and lose an eye!

By Azola Funani

The thug was attacked by the community for theft – but they didn’t kill him.

Instead they left him to live with a lifelong reminder of his evil deeds. The face he sees when he looks in the mirror is a face no one one wants to see.

When the DKTeam arrived in Joe Slovo Park, in near Gqeberha,on Wednesday morning, they were greeted by the sight of angry residents and a badly beaten man.

One of his eyes had been ripped out of his face. “That eye that looked for things to steal will never see again,” said an angry resident.

The alleged thief, aged about 25, was accused of stealing a suitcase full of branded clothing and R1 000.

He had to beg for mercy and surrendered himself to police.

He said he no longer had the stolen clothes as he had sold some of them. “I used to buy drugs in Joe Slovo Park,” he said. The man had allegedly spent some of the money on a bowl of russian sausages for his sister.

“We are tired of this boy’s behaviour. He steals from us but when we take him to the police he gets released the following day,” said an angry woman.

“Please let me pee on him.”said angry resident

Community leader Stini kholeka said they found the man drinking tea at a friend’s house.

Kholeka said they patrol at night because of thieves who steal and rape women at night.

“Our people are not safe here. We have to watch our backs all the time because of the drugs they use. This is too much, he should be killed,” she said.

Some residents said they even had to move because of the suspect. They claimed it was the same thug who had allegedly broken into a shack three days earlier and stolen a television set.

When the people insisted that the thug show them the place where he had sold the clothes, he took them to a house where Phumlani Mapoma (18) lives.

The young man claimed he knew nothing, in spite of being sjambokked.

“I do not even know this man. He is not my friend,” said Phumlani.

The thug then pointed out another person who also said he didn’t know anything.

By the time he was taken to the cop shop he could barely see the road. His other eye was slowly shutting and there was blood all over his face.

KwaDwesi police spokesman Captain Philemon kona said a case of theft was opened and the suspect was receiving medical treatment under police guard.