Grieving KZN Family Wants Cop Jailed After Loved One Shot Dead at Roadblock: “He Does Not Belong in Society”

• KZN family is demanding justice after a traffic cop in Durban fatally shot their loved one
• The incident happened on Saturday, 5 August, when the deceased was returning home from a birthday celebration
• Police watchdog Ipid has opened an investigation of murder and attempted murder following the deadly shooting

DURBAN - A KwaZulu-Natal family is reeling and demanding justice after their loved one was accidentally shot and killed by a traffic officer in Durban North.

24-year-old Sanele Thembani sustained a gunshot wound to the head when the traffic cop assumed that the car he was travelling in was trying to evade a roadblock, News24 reported.

The incident occurred when Thembani and his friends were travelling home from a birthday celebration on Saturday evening, 5 August.

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Sanele Thembani’s family demands justice

The deceased 24-year-old’s sister, Ntokozo, wants the officer responsible for her brother's death placed behind bars.

A grieving Ntokozo demanded:

“We want the suspect to be convicted and go to jail. He is not a protector of the public... he is an evil person who does not belong in the society.”

The sister also condemned the officers for failing to report the shooting immediately but taking two days to file the report, SowetanLIVE reported.

Officers assume Thembani was running from the roadblock

The report claims two officers were stationed at the rear of the roadblock to prevent Motorists from evading it. The car Thembani and his friends were travelling in allegedly made a U-turn and didn't stop when the officers attempted to signal to them.

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The report alleges that one of the two officers open fire with his service rifle, firing three shots in the direction of the fleeing car and resulting in the death of Thembani.

Witness refutes officer’s version of shooting

Thembani’s cousin, Sinethemba Makhanya, who was in the car when the incident occurred, painted a different picture entirely. According to Makhanya, the group assumed there was a traffic jam caused by an accident they had just passed.

Makhanya said they decided to make a U-turn and passed two traffic officers, which is when they came under fire. She also claims that officers were not wearing police reflectors to make them visible at night.

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate’s (Ipid) spokesperson Robbie Raburabu said the police watchdog was investigating a case of murder and attempted murder.

South Africa questions KZN shooting incident

Here's what people are saying:

Steve Mofubetsoane asked:

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"Were they posing a danger to him to pull out a gun? Let's hope there's footage of it so we can analyze it."

Connie Heyns criticised:

"This is a shocking and total abuse of power... Was proper protocol followed by the officer?"

Thabang Mmusi said:

"The government should implement strict gun control for traffic officers these people are on a shooting spree these days."

Moris Tshifhiwa added:

"If the police kill one of us, it is good. But if you kill them, you will here a big noise."

Edged Weapons commented:

"Our police officers and traffic officers just lack proper training, that's all. You can just see it by just looking at them."

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In another story, Briefly News reported that a bylaw enforcement officer from Mbombela municipality fatally shot a traffic official after catching him with his wife.

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The officer-involved shooting occurred on Saturday, 15 April, when the municipal officer tracked his wife and the traffic official to a popular lodge outside Mbombela.

The enforcement officer allegedly kicked down the door of the chalet the wife and official had booked and a confrontation ensued.

Source: Briefly News