A twin died and his brother is fighting for his life in hospital after they were caught allegedly stealing a TV in Jabulani, Soweto.
Siyabonga and Bongani Radebe, 37, were tied to a pole and interrogated for seven hours on Wednesday by angry community members who demanded to know the whereabouts of a TV that was stolen earlier in the day.
Bongani died from the injuries he sustained during the attack while Siyabonga is still in hospital.
The twins' sister Nonhlanhla Radebe, 32, said the pair was problematic and that they usually landed in trouble for stealing.
“The truth is that the community knows that they steal. But they didn't steal this TV. When they have been suspected of stealing something, they always tell where they sold whatever item they stole when cornered,” Radebe said.
“This time they were beaten up for something they didn't know. They would have spilled the beans and directed their assaulters to where the TV was sold,” she said.
Radebe said the twins were accosted on Wednesday morning and viciously assaulted until she came to their rescue later in the day.
She said the twins went to their neighbour’s house after finding out that they were being sought for the missing TV.
“When I arrived I saw them tied to a pole. There were about six people we know who were there and some of them were assaulting them. Bongani died moments after I arrived..."
Sowetan visited the home where the twins were assaulted and an elderly woman dismissed the accusations.
She refused to identify herself but said they saved the twins from a mob before taking them to their home. “We did not touch them. We found them on the street being attacked by a large group. We did nothing to them,” she said.
Community members in the area said the attack could have been avoided if the police did something about cases of theft and housebreaking regularly reported in the neighbourhood.
Nkosinathi Mdlulu said the pair was infamous in the area for always being in trouble.
Police spokesperson Capt Sifiso Mabizela denied claims that police dragged their feet residents reported crime. t“We are aware of the claims but community members do not report incidents to us..."
Mabizela further said police were searching for four known suspects who were allegedly behind the assault.
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