A family from Emalahleni in Mpumalanga, South Africa, is seeking answers following the murder of Vusimuzi Radebe, who was allegedly beaten to death on Saturday after being accused of being the "Kempton Park serial killer". Radebe was accosted while walking home from his grandmother's residence in KwaGuqa to Lynville in Emalahleni. Residents questioned him about his identity and place of residence, and it is believed he told them he had just relocated to the area from Kempton Park.
According to Nonhlanhla Mathobela, a family member, Radebe had moved back to Emalahleni from Kempton Park about a month ago after his parents retired. Mathobela expressed the family's heartbreak, stating that Radebe was innocent and did not deserve to die in such a manner. She described Radebe as a quiet child and an only son to his parents. Mathobela questioned the logic behind the residents' actions, asking how Radebe could be considered a serial killer without any evidence of a gun, knives, or a phone.
The family is appealing to anyone who witnessed the incident or has information about Radebe's death to come forward. Mathobela emphasized that if the group had suspected Radebe, they should have initiated an investigation to ascertain the truth instead of taking the law into their own hands. The family is still trying to understand what led the residents to conclude that Radebe was the "Kempton Park serial killer".
Police in Vosman, Mpumalanga, have confirmed that they have opened a case of murder and launched a manhunt for suspects following an act of vigilantism. Police spokesperson Col Mavela Masondo stated that the circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated, and the motive is currently unknown. Masondo reported that police received a complaint about vigilantism in Vosman on Saturday and responded swiftly to the scene.
Upon arrival, police found Radebe lying on the ground with visible injuries, allegedly sustained from being assaulted by a group of community members. Emergency Medical Services personnel were summoned, but Radebe was unfortunately declared dead on the scene. Masondo emphasized that police are against acts of vigilantism and urged community members not to take the law into their own hands.
The provincial commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lt-Gen Apaphia Modise, has vowed that the police will work around the clock to ensure that everyone who participated in this heinous crime is pursued and arrested. Modise ordered that every resource be mobilized to hunt down those responsible for Radebe's senseless killing. The police are also investigating a series of killings in Ekurhuleni, where nine women's bodies have been discovered over the past two months.
While the police have not established a link between the nine killings, they have increased resources dedicated to the investigation. Modise urged anyone with information that can assist in identifying the perpetrators to come forward. The police are working to bring those responsible to justice and to prevent similar incidents of vigilantism in the future.
Key points
- The police have opened a murder case and launched a manhunt for suspects following the killing of Vusimuzi Radebe.
- The incident is being investigated as an act of vigilantism, with police urging community members not to take the law into their own hands.
- The provincial commissioner has vowed to pursue and arrest those responsible for Radebe's killing and to increase resources to investigate linked crimes in Ekurhuleni.
