By Staff Reporter
WITBANK – The Emalahleni Regional Court has sentenced Pastor Solomon Mhlanga (66) and his son, Enock Mhlanga (21), to life imprisonment for a violent vigilante attack on 31-year-old Dumisani Mahlangu. The pair also received an additional three years for kidnapping.
A third accused, Poppy Mhlanga, the pastor’s wife, was sentenced to three years of direct imprisonment for kidnapping after the court found she played a key role in the incident, including instructing that the victim be restrained.
Magistrate JJ Combrink, in handing down the sentence, stressed that communities must understand that vigilante justice has no place in the court’s jurisdiction. He said the ruling should serve as a strong warning that taking the law into one’s own hands will lead to severe consequences.
According to the court, Mahlangu was kidnapped at gunpoint along Kromdraai Road in March last year following allegations of theft. He was taken into a church building, assaulted, and later transported to a secluded area where the violent attack occurred.
During the trial, Mahlangu testified that he had pleaded for mercy and attempted to seek help after the assault, but those responsible refused to assist him.
Magistrate Combrink highlighted the long-term impact of the attack, noting that Mahlangu’s ability to live independently has been permanently affected.
He condemned the perpetrators for showing no compassion throughout the ordeal and stressed that such actions “cause irreparable harm and have no justification under any circumstances.”
The court’s ruling brings closure to a case that has sparked widespread condemnation of vigilantism and abuse of power under the guise of community justice.
