MEDIA STATEMENT

MEC CELE CONDEMNS THE KILLING OF AN OLD COUPLE IN UMLAZI

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison Mr. B.H. Cele has condemned the brutal killing of an elderly couple, which apparently took place on Sunday (21st August 2005) in H. Section at Umlazi, south of Durban.

The killing follows allegations from the community that the old couple were practising witchcraft. "Mob justice is not a solution to any problem. We therefore urge communities not to take the law into their own hands as this could backfire with dire consequences. All suspects in this case have been arrested and we will ensure that justice prevails," Cele said.

Police investigations into this matter are continuing and all the arrested suspects will appear in the Umlazi Magistrate's Court today (23/08/2005). "Police Officials are there to protect communities in any given situation. We are a democratic government, but nobody is above the law. Mob killings should be condemned and agents of the state will continue defending the weak," said Cele.

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