39-year-old Free State man allegedly killed by mob

A 39-year-old man was allegedly killed by a mob in Ithobale section in Bethlehem on Monday. 

Free State police spokesperson Sgt Mahlomola Kareli said police received a call just after 9am about a man being attacked by a group of people. 

“Members rushed to the scene and immediately started following intelligence-led information that led to 17 people being taken in for questioning. The victim was allegedly found with injuries inflicted on the body. Thus far, seven people have been arrested for public violence,” Kareli said. 

He said the man was certified dead on the scene. 

On Tuesday, Kareli said police had their hands full in Bethlehem as they were dealing with multiple sporadic protests in the area. 

Residents from areas including Bohlokong, Maokeng and Tumahole had embarked on service delivery-related protests.

He said the situation remained tense and public order police were on the ground to maintain order.

“The situation is tense now and has been so throughout the night with public order policing attending to attempts of groupings in Bohlokong.”

In Kroonstad, the community had also embarked on a peaceful march to the municipal offices on Monday to seek answers to questions about service delivery challenges facing the community.

In Parys, he said, the community had gathered in Tumahole and marched to the Parys magistrate's court, demanding the release of community members arrested for public violence last week, after violent protests in the area where municipal offices and the home of the mayor's mother were torched by angry residents.

Kareli said all the arrested community members had been released on warning and would be back in court on Friday for legal representation. 

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