A young man’s battered body—his right eye’s blood vessels ruptured, a gash on his head, cuts, scratches, and bruises—bears grim testimony to a beating he endured at the hands of a group of men. “These are people I know, people I grew up with and people I thought were friends,” the man recounted.
On Thursday night, 10 July 2025, a 31-year-old man from Barry Hertzog Park in Newcastle found himself subjected to an assault by approximately ten men, following a false accusation of theft.
Adding insult to the injury, the young man had willingly accompanied his eventual assailants, intending to assist them in locating the actual thief.
“A friend of mine’s car’s rims were stolen from his home, and he called me about it, and I said I would come to him so we could see if we could find who stole it. So, another friend and myself walked from my home to the shopping centre on FW Beyers. When we got there, they accused me of stealing the rims, which I denied, as I was innocent,” stated the man, who has chosen to remain anonymous for the time being.
It was at this juncture that events took a sinister turn. The accusing male and his accomplices forcibly took the 31-year-old and his companion to an undisclosed location, where they proceeded to beat them. They brandished a firearm and even went as far as to ignite a fire. “They said they were going to throw us in the fire. My friend was burned a bit, my phone was just burned, but they really hit us, even with planks. Eventually, the friend who had gone with me confessed that he did it,” recounted the visibly distressed man.
While Newcastle SAPS has initiated an attempted murder case, no further comment could be obtained from the Amajuba District SAPS spokesperson, Constable Langa.
However, Belinda Ellor from the Newcastle Community Policing Forum (CPF), who was instrumental in rushing the young man to the hospital, confirmed that he had indeed suffered severe injuries throughout the night.
With police investigations now underway, Ellor urged Good Samaritans not only to be vigilant of their surroundings but also to exercise extreme caution when entering a vehicle with anyone, even acquaintances, particularly when seeking out potential criminals. “It is best to always contact the Newcastle South African Police Service, alongside the Newcastle CPF, just to ensure your safety and the safety of others.”
Ultimately, this incident in Barry Hertzog Park underscores the dangers of vigilantism and false accusations. While the community’s desire for justice is understandable, resorting to violence not only inflicts grievous harm upon innocent individuals but also severely undermines the rule of law.
What are your thoughts on the above? Share your views in the comment section below.
6 Responses
Choose your friends wisely
Let hope these are not drug addicts
The story is not true, the boys who were assaulted are known drug addicts in the area yet they are making him look like an angel. They had information about their friends who have been breaking in people’s houses yet they did not inform the police you can’t be hanging out with criminals and claim that you are innocent. People are not safe in their homes because of these boys and when the community takes the law into their own hands it’s a problem. How many break in happened in the area the past few months yet SAPS has done nothing about it yet the suspects are known. I am not saying people should take the law into their own hands but people are tired of these criminals.
You can’t trust anyone nowadays, NEED TO BE EXTRA CAREFUL.
Beat him no other way a criminal is known as suspect in our country
Asseblief maak hom goed wys🏡
Ja man trap hom goed👨