Vigilante attack leaves two men dead after livestock theft accusation
Two men in their fifties have been placed behind bars following a horrific vigilante attack that claimed two lives in Mpumalanga late last year. Samuel Sheku and Bapsi Mnisi face two counts of murder, kidnapping, and malicious damage to property after being apprehended by the Mpumalanga Provincial Task Team on 15 February 2024.
The pair made their first appearance at the Kabokweni Magistrate's Court on Monday, 19 February 2024, where the matter was postponed to Friday, 23 February 2024.
The gruesome chain of events began on 29 December 2023 when residents of Nhlalakahle Trust in Masoyi discovered six slaughtered cows belonging to a local community member dumped near bushes in the area. The grim find sparked outrage among locals, who took matters into their own hands with devastating consequences.
Community members reportedly banded together and seized two younger men — Sifiso Bulunga, aged 39, and Satelo Maluka, aged 37 — both from the same neighbourhood. The pair were accused of involvement in stock theft. What followed was a savage act of mob justice, with the two men allegedly tortured while their hands and legs were bound with wire.
Police met with hostility at the scene
Officers stationed at Masoyi were alerted to the unfolding violence and dispatched a vehicle to the scene, but were met with a hostile reception from the gathered crowd. Reports indicate that a bakkie, believed to have been used by the two accused stock theft suspects, was set alight by the enraged mob. Both Bulunga and Maluka were severely assaulted and ultimately burnt beyond recognition.
Following the killings, authorities opened a case and handed the docket to the Mpumalanga Provincial Task Team, operating under the command of Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela. Investigators pursued the matter with determination, ultimately identifying and arresting Sheku and Mnisi in connection with the fatal attack.
"Acts of vigilantism can never be tolerated and two wrongs do not make a right," said the General.
Lieutenant General Manamela expressed her appreciation for the outstanding work carried out by the task team in bringing the suspects to book. The case has once again highlighted the deadly consequences of vigilante action in communities across the province, with law enforcement urging residents to allow the justice system to take its course rather than resorting to violence.
Mob justice remains a persistent threat in South African communities, often fueled by frustration with slow policing and court processes. The Mpumalanga case underscores how vigilante violence destroys lives on both sides, leaving families shattered and perpetrators facing serious criminal charges. For rural areas already struggling with livestock theft and limited law enforcement resources, such incidents deepen mistrust between communities and police. Strengthening local justice mechanisms and improving response times could help curb this dangerous cycle.
