Limpopo Police Officers Attacked by Learners, 16-Year-Old Suffers Gunshot Wound During Confrontation
- Members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) came under attack by a group of learners in Limpopo
- The officers were responding to a complaint at the school about a learner when a confrontation broke out
- The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) is investigating the matter after one person was shot
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Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
LIMPOPO - Police officers came under attack by a group of learners in Nakampe Village, Bolobedu, Limpopo, during a volatile confrontation at the school.
The officers were attacked on Tuesday, 1 September, while reporting to a complaint about a learner. Officers had been called to the school to deal with a 21-year-old learner who had allegedly made threats on the premises.
A teacher requested that the police take the student home to collect his parents. After the learner completed an exam, officers approached him, but he resisted and shoved one of them. The situation deteriorated rapidly when a large number of students poured out of classrooms and began pelting the officers with stones and plastic bottles.
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Warning shot fired as officers retreated
In an attempt to disperse the crowd and regain control, one officer drew a service firearm and discharged a warning shot into the ground.
The police then withdrew from the school premises. Shortly afterwards, they received word that a 16-year-old learner had been struck in the left leg by a bullet. The injured student was first taken to a local clinic before being transferred to a hospital for further treatment.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has been notified and is investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting and the attempted murder charge.
Limpopo Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Jan Scheepers responded to the incident by appealing for restraint. He emphasised that community members are obligated to respect officers carrying out their duties, and called on anyone with grievances to report them through the appropriate official channels.
This is not the first time that police officers came under attack in the course of their duties in the province.
Other stories of officers being attacked
- In 2021, Limpopo police were attacked by community members while they were arresting foreign nationals.
- A South African Police Service member was attacked by an axe-wielding man at the Delft Police Station.
- Reaction Unit South Africa had to step in to save police officers from angry community members in KwaZulu-Natal.
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Source: Briefly News
