Olivehoutbosch residents burn muti shops after local woman's murder

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Johannesburg - Olivenhoutbosch residents burnt a number of muti shops in the area while others were broken into after a woman who had been reported missing was found dead. Violence erupted on Sunday evening in the area and by the end of it, four people who had been found in one of the shops that had been broken into were arrested. Those that are behind the torching of the other shops are still at large. According to Gauteng Police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters, an unconfirmed number of shops were damaged and some set alight. She said preliminary reports suggest that this stemmed from an arrest last week of a man suspected to be behind the murder of a woman who went missing in November last year and her body was discovered on January 16 in the area. A mob then attacked the shops on Sunday.

"A group of people went on the rampage and raided a number of shops alleged to be selling muti. At this point, the group is said to have gone into the shops, removed muti-products and set the products alight just outside these shops.

She said while police were able to disperse the group, the situation then worsened.

"It is then reported that an even bigger crowd started gathering later in the evening and attacked and burnt some shops that are part of a chain of stores known to be selling muti.

"The group allegedly became violent and attacked the police nyala and the members responded by firing stun grenades and rubber bullets. The members then found another group allegedly looting a shop and arrested the four suspects."

Peters said it was quite in the area and they were monitoring the situation.

The Star