The community of Soul City Informal Settlement are seeking answers after a 13-year-old boy was allegedly shot in the leg by police on Saturday afternoon.
The community near Kagiso on Gauteng’s West allege police officers often come to take bribes from foreign national spaza shop owners.
However, on Saturday, they decided to take a stand against the officers. A scuffle broke out between police and the community.
The child was rushed to Leratong Hospital where he is getting medical attention.
Mpho Mmoloke, the mother of the wounded teenager, says they were walking together on their way home when she suddenly heard gunshots.
“I saw a police officer pointing a firearm towards the community members. I was walking with my child and then I heard gunshots. I dropped down to the ground and my son ran. I thought he was running to the house. I heard commotion then shots after shots. When I got up, my child had been shot in the leg. I just ran and took my child to hospital. As we speak, he is still in hospital. They have taken him to theatre. Honestly, the police are failing us as a community.”
The father Benjamin Kgasu carried the son’s pants with blood stains and two holes.
Kgasu is also in possession a bullet cartridge that he says injured his son.
He says he has been disappointed by the treatment he got when they got to the Kagiso Police station, as they denied that live ammunition was fired.
“When we first got to hospital, they said it was a minor injury and that he had been shot by a rubber bullet. They wanted to discharge him, but my son couldn’t walk. Police were here which means this thing was cooked. Another doctor checked him and he was admitted. The next day, the mother gets a call saying the wound is getting worse, they want to take him to theatre. I then went to the police station to try open a case. But that warrant (officer) gave us attitude and then claimed this child fell and he was not shot. I was shocked as a parent. We told them we have proof of a cartridge. We are waiting for IPID.”
The parents of the young boy want justice to prevail and say they are waiting for the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) to respond on the matter.
VIDEO | Boy shot during spaza shop raids:
