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Sipho Tladi (47) appeared before the Schoornoord Magistrate’s Court on Monday after he was arrested following a mob justice incident in which Simon Magapu Talane (48) was burnt to death when members of the community accused him of theft of goats in the area.
Tladi was denied bail and is expected to reappear before the court on August 21.
It is alleged that Talane stole over 190 goats in the area since last year. Three families suffered the theft of all their goats from their kraals in Lerajane Village last Thursday.
Members of the community confronted Talane, who is also a shop owner, about the theft and he allegedly confessed to the crime on Friday.
According to a source, Talane’s Toyota 1400 bakkie was found with goat feaces. It is alleged that his partner, Dineo Malapane, confessed to being forced by Talane to steal the goats with him.
“When approached, the wife said Talane forced her to be part of his string of stock theft since last year. When the woman refused he would assault her. When they were confronted on Friday, the woman told the community members to kill him because he is also abusing her but the community members refused and told her to kill him herself. She brought a container of paraffin and doused him before he burnt him inside the 1400 bakkie. She is now accusing community members of the death of her partner,” the source said.
Lorraine Mathabatha, a community leader, said they went to the court to support the Tladi as they view his arrest as unfair.
“Tladi is not stable in the mind and the woman takes advantage of that,” Lorraine said. Members of the community remain against plans to bury Talane at the village.
