Five people burnt or stoned to death

FIVE people were burnt to death by an angry mob on Sunday.

A boy, 6, was injured and toddler and two-month baby girl found on the scene were taken into hospital care.

The victims, whose names have not yet been released, were reportedly accused of livestock theft and harbouring criminals in Mambalweni village in the Cweraland administrative area near Ntabankulu.

The five were killed while performing a cleansing ritual when they returned to the village nearly a year after they fled to Mt Frere to escape the flames when their home and family car were torched as well.

Police have arrested 42 suspects for the arson attack in May last year.

The victims – who include a mother, 55, her daughter, 25, an unidentified woman relative, a man of 42 and another unidentified man – were killed around 5pm.

The daughter was stoned to death when she leaped out of a burning car that was set alight by the mob.

It is believed two others were necklaced outside the vehicle.

The little boy was sent to the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital with head injuries. The unidentified man is believed to be a sangoma brought in to perform a cleansing ritual.

Sunday’s incident was the latest in a series of attacks launched against the family since 2011.

A builder said he had heard the family had been accused of stealing sheep after “loads” of meat was allegedly found stashed in their fridge on Christmas Day three years ago.