SAPS vehicle burnt, another stoned

A POLICE vehicle was burnt and another was stoned at the Ten Rooms informal settlement near Hartbeespoort Dam on Saturday, North West police said yesterday. “It is alleged that the police were attending to a complaint when they saw members of the community assaulting a man,” Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said. The police allegedly tried to intervene by removing the man from the enraged community. “The latter allegedly set alight the police vehicle but the officials managed to rescue the severely assaulted man who was accused of being responsible for crimes in the area.” He said another vehicle called as a back-up was stoned by the mob. “It is alleged the community attempted to burn the car by throwing a burning tyre onto it. However, the car did not burn, although the tyre caused damage to it.” Paramedics assisted the injured man and he was admitted to hospital. The police officers weren’t hurt. Nobody had been arrested and the investigation into the matter continued. North West acting provincial commissioner Major-General Jacob Tsumane warned the community not to take the law into their own hands. “The community must understand and accept that while we need their support, the rule of law must be obeyed. Damaging property is a criminal act and cannot be allowed. Members of the community often complain about the service they get from the police, and burning of police vehicles is more of denying innocent communities of their deserved service which is likely to be affected by resources that were deliberately damaged, as happened with these cars.” – ANA