Celani Zungu’s Family Demands Answers After Fatal Water Tanker Incident, South Africans Left Divided
- The family of 29-year-old Celani Zungu have discussed the feedback they received following his tragic death in Adams Mission, south of Durban
- The eThekwini Municipality suspended the water tanker driver pending internal and police investigations, but no arrest has been made
- South Africans weighed in on the tragedy, discussing whether the driver should be held accountable for the incident
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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.
KWAZULU-NATAL - Celani Zungu's family is demanding answers following the death of the 29-year-old.
Zungu was fatally crushed by an eThekwini water tanker in Adams Mission, uMbumbulu, while reportedly trying to prevent the vehicle from leaving the area. The video of the incident went viral on social media.
His brother, Sakhile Zungu, told eNCA that the family is struggling to grieve while both the municipality and police remain quiet about the investigation's progress. The last time they saw municipal officials was at Celani's funeral. Since then, no substantive update has reached them.
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Culpable homicide inquiry remains open
A culpable homicide inquiry remains open, as investigators are analysing eyewitness accounts and the broader circumstances around the incident, including claims that the driver was attempting to flee an escalating confrontation with community members at the time.
The eThekwini Municipality did suspend the water tanker driver pending the outcome of both an internal probe and a separate police investigation. The South African Police Service interviewed the driver and took his statement, and he was said to have cooperated fully with authorities.
The municipality has urged the Zungu family to be patient while its internal investigation continues. It also acknowledged ongoing water supply challenges in Adams Mission, citing demand that exceeds available supply and illegal connections as contributing factors. Water tankers remain deployed to the area as an interim measure.
How did South Africans react?
The family's demands sparked several comments online, with many defending the driver.
King Gee wrote:
"What answers are they looking for? I mean, the video is there. They saw everything. The driver didn't have any other choice to make or ba batlang compensation?"
Jason Naidoo said:
"Watch the video and the answer is there."
Presh Precious asked:
"Accountability for what?"
Fortune Chabalala commented:
"The only person who deserves justice is the truck driver. Our justice system is weak. That was self-defence."
Lee Claude Tomlinson added:
"He ran in front of a moving truck with a hammer with the intent to damage and attack the driver. His friends had guns. What accountability are they looking for?"
Police say there's no grounds to arrest driver
Briefly News reported that KwaZulu-Natal police have provided an update into invesigations into the Adams Mission tragedy.
Police confirmed that despite the fact that there was video evidence, they had no grounds to arrest the driver.
South Africans weighed in on the police's confirmation regarding charges, agreeing with the decision.
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Source: Briefly News
