Two young men were taken to hospital for treatment after they were beaten on Tuesday for allegedly assaulting street vendors along Buffalo Road in East London.
Community policing forum provincial secretary Ludumo Salman said the two had allegedly been robbing innocent civilians in town.
“They were doing the usual in this particular spot until citizens took matters into their own hands.
“[They] were asking about the whereabouts of police as they were doing this reign of terror. They provoked the citizens.”
Videos trending on social media platforms showed young men dressed in newly-initiated-manhood attire assaulting male vendors at their businesses.
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa confirmed an incident had occurred but said no formal case had been opened by the victims at this stage.
“Officers responded to the scene after receiving a report of the incident and found that several people had sustained injuries.
“The victims were transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.”
Mawisa said police advised the victims to open a case to allow for a full investigation.
The fact that no criminal complaint had been laid had “limited the progress of the investigation”, she said.
Police urged anyone who was involved in the incident, or who might have information that could assist them, to come forward.
Mawisa said opening a case was crucial to ensuring accountability and determining the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Anyone with information that could assist should contact East London police.
Daily Dispatch
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.