Cape Town - The Bishop Lavis Magistrate’s Court was set alight as angry residents rioted in the streets after a man was beaten to death, allegedly by the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) on Saturday night.
Heavily armed police swarmed the scene as residents from Kalksteenfontein set the building alight and pelted officials with stones as they vented their anger at the death of Antonio Vosloo.
While police claim he collapse during a raid, a relative of the 39-year-old father of two said she witnessed police attacking him multiple times.
“Antonio was playing cards at that house and when I went closer I saw the AGU handcuff him and they were hitting him. I kept asking what he had done and I told them he was on parole and just came out for a housebreaking case but they just kept hitting him.
“I asked if I must bring his papers and they said ‘no’ and just took him to the back of the yard and beat him over and over.
“We couldn’t get to him and that is when we heard he died.”
Police spokesperson, FC van Wyk, said Bishop Lavis police registered an inquest on the death, saying an adult man collapsed and died.
“According to reports, Anti-Gang Unit members received information about a firearm stored at the mentioned address. At the scene the adult male was interviewed by the members. While busy conducting the interview with the male, he suddenly complained of chest pains, and collapsed. Ambulance services was called to the scene and the male was declared deceased by medical personnel. A post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death.”
The relative said the community was aware of the beating and this sparked the outrage as they took to the streets. During the riot, angry residents stormed the Bishop Lavis Magistrate’s Court and set the building alight.
It is reported that they also took files from the court building and air conditioning units.
The City’s Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson, Jermaine Carelse, said firefighters were called to the scene shortly after 9pm.
“On arrival it was found that the door of the court building was burning. It appeared that tyres had been set alight in close proximity. In addition to the burning door, the security booth had been vandalised, the security door was broken down and some windows had been broken. A case of arson was registered.”
Van Wyk said security guards told police the building was attacked by an angry mob.
“The two security guards fled and hid, and contacted police. When SAPS arrived, the crowd fled the scene. Cases of public violence and attack on police were also registered for investigation. All these cases are still under investigation, no arrest as yet.”
Meanwhile the family of Vosloo are calling on a proper investigation into his death.