Cape Town — A second person, currently unidentified, has been fatally shot in Tembisa in the East Rand of the province of Gauteng following service delivery protests, according to SABC. Residents demonstrated against high electricity prices, demanding a flat rate for billing instead, among other demands. The township has been locked down following Mayor Tania Campbell’s failure to attend a community meeting to address residents’ demands.
Ekurhuleni Metro Police have said the situation has been overwhelming for officers with Spokesperson, Kelebogile Thepa saying: “We are really overwhelmed with what has been happening. By the look of things we are now being placed in a predicament where all protestors are approaching on all corners and we are trying to calm the situation.”
Unrest among residents resulted in the burning of a municipal facility along with several cars belonging to the City of Ekurhuleni. Municipal offices were also broken into with items including fridges, TV screens and computers being damaged while others like grass cutters, toilet paper and heaters being looted.
“Those are criminal elements, how do you burn the same building that provides you with the same service you need? Those who are saying because the mayor did not come, they are using that to continue with their looting and criminality. Those criminals are using that as a tool to continue with their criminal activities,” said MMC Fanyana of Ekurhuleni Finance who slammed the residents’ actions.
The first victim, Pheta Molonyama died after he was allegedly shot in the back by an officer roughly 300m away from his home, Noxolo Sibiya of The Sowetan reports. Molonyama’s neighbour, Mathapelo Mahole, identified his body. “When we arrived at the scene, the nyala (armoured vehicle) [which had police officer] that had shot at him was still there. You could see that he was shot in the back. It was unnecessary,” Mahole said.
This is a developing story.