Bishop Lavis Magistrates Court went up in flames as angry residents rioted in the streets after a man was allegedly beaten to death by the Anti-Gang Unit on Saturday night.
Heavily-armed cops swarmed the scene as mense from Kalksteenfontein went bos, setting the building alight and pelting officials with klippe as they vented their anger at the death of Antonio Vosloo.
While cops claim he collapsed during a raid, a relative of the 39-year-old father of two says she witnessed cops attacking him multiple times.
The hartseer relative who asked not to be named out of fear, said: “I was at the shop and we saw a two police vans and a white car come down Hydrangea [Street].
“Antonio was playing cards at that house and when I went closer I saw the AGU had handcuffed him and were hitting him.
“I kept asking what he had done and I told them he was on parole and just came out [of jail] 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 Captain FC Van Wyk says Bishop Lavis police registered an inquest for the case.
He confirms: “According to reports, Anti-Gang Unit members received information about a firearm being 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 says the beating sparked outrage.
He adds: “He did not collapse and die, they beat him like that and that is why the community got so angry.”
Kwaad residents stormed Bishop Lavis Magistrates Court and set the building alight and allegedly took files and air conditioning units from the offices.
Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson, Jermaine Carelse, says firefighters were called to the scene shortly after 9pm.
“The fire crew from Epping had to wait at Elsies River SAPS for an enforcement escort. 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 vandalized, the security door was broken down and some windows had been broken. A case of arson was registered.”
Van Wyk says security guards told cops the building was attacked by an angry mob.
“The two security guards on duty informed them that an angry crowd broke down the front gate. They entered the premises and damaged the security gate as well as a few windows in front of the court building. They then proceeded to the front entrance whereby they set some tyres and chairs alight that cause the front building to burn.
“The two security guards fled and went to go hide themselves, and contacted police. When SAPS arrived on the scene, the crowd fled the scene.”
“Cases of public violence and attack on police were also registered for investigation.”
No arrests have been made.