23 April 2014
Nyanga residents are looking for a 20 year old man accused of stealing a plasma TV from his neighbour and said to be a rapist and a gangster.
Yesterday morning the man, whose name is known to GroundUp, ran into a house bleeding from head injuries after being beaten by community members.
Thandeka Lonti, the owner of the house he ran to, said she had called his father and when the father came the 20 year old had again run away.
“I’d rather have him arrested and in prison for many years than see him killed,” said the father.
He had seen his son being brutally beaten by community members and having petrol poured on him. The 20 year old had managed to run away.
A constable in Nyanga police station said that no one had pressed charges against him.
Lonti said the previous week the 20 year old had been accused of raping a 16 year old girl and beaten by the community.
“He told me that he would rather die than go back to prison because young boys like him get raped there and they are treated as young ladies for older men”, said Lonti.
The man’s father said three weeks ago his son had been shot in the leg in a gang fight but had not been to hospital because he knew if he did, he would be arrested.
“Instead his friends took out the bullets from his leg, but the wounds are still there and paining”, said the father.
The family pleaded with the community not to kill the man but rather have him arrested. They are hoping to find him before other people do.
Yonela Banzi, who knows him, said that if he was seen in the community he would not survive.
“Many people want him dead, not arrested. He is going to get arrested and after few months come back and do the same thing over and over again.”
“We want to teach his gangster friends a lesson,” said Banzi.