The man who was torched alive in his vehicle by a mob of Parkwood residents, on Tuesday, was not involved in any kidnapping, Western Cape police confirmed in a statement.
Parkwood mob investigated for killing e-hailing driver
Video footage of the chaotic scenes that played out in Parkwood surfaced on social media, showing the harrowing ordeal of a 31-year-old man who was set alight inside his Toyota Avanza for allegedly attempting to kidnap a child near a clinic.
As reported by IOL News, a security guard and nurse who work at the clinic told authorities that no such kidnapping attempt took place. According to Grassy Park police station commander Colonel Dawood Laing, the man was falsely accused by a resident and, in a matter of minutes, he was accosted by a mob.
Police confirmed the victim was, in fact, an e-hailing driver from Dunoon, an informal settlement on the west coast of Cape Town. He was beaten to a pulp before being set alight inside his vehicle. The 31-year-old victim died at the scene.
“This is mass hysteria caused by social media and the spreading of fake news. We are just as worried about kidnappings, but if you look at the actual reported cases, you will see it’s not near as many as reported on social media.
“Now people have taken the law into their own hands and we are already identifying those responsible from the videos circulating. Arrests are imminent,” Laing said.
The Parkwood mob attack, initially prompted by a kidnapping false alarm, has developed into a full-blown murder investigation. Police are questioning eyewitnesses and Parkwood residents to determine who was behind the torching.
It’s believed this video footage will be crucial in identifying the suspects in the Parkwood mob attack.
PLEASE NOTE: The video footage embedded below contains graphic content that may be harmful to sensitive audiences. Viewers discretion is strongly advised.
#MobJusticeCapeTown
— SA emergency reports (@MARIUSBROODRYK) May 31, 2022
Alledged suspect burned alive by Parkwood community in Cape Town, apparently involved in kidnapping of children. Incident happened earlier today… @BOSBEER2006 @MARIUSBROODRYK @News24 @SAPoliceService @eNCA @SABCNews @IOL pic.twitter.com/FrpAuqg1Sx