The South African Police Service (SAPS) has denied shooting and wounding a person during the ongoing student protests in Johannesburg on Monday.
In a statement, SAPS spokesperson Vishnu Naidoo said police had taken note of a video circulating and reports of a female that was “shot” during protests in Braamfontein.
“The SAPS can report that none of its members deployed in Braamfontien had fired any shots during the said protests. However, in an effort to disperse volatile crowds, a smoke grenade was used in one incident and water cannons in others,” he said.
The incident had not been officially reported to the SAPS, which made it difficult to ascertain the nature of the student’s injuries as well as the circumstances under which the injuries were sustained.
“Police are looking forward to interviewing the student as well as obtaining the medical report regarding this matter,” said Naidoo.
Meanwhile, the Independent Policing Investigative Directorate (IPID) has confirmed that four members of the SAPS’ public order policing unit would appear before court tomorrow for the murder of Mthokozisi Ntumba.
Ntumba, a bystander who had just left a Johannesburg CBD clinic, was last week killed when police allegedly fired shots at protesting students in the vicinity.
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