Soshanguve residents damage police station following death of hawker
Protests flared up in
Soshanguve, in the north of Tshwane, on Friday following the death of a
hawker.
Community members allege that the 30-year-old man died at the hands of the police.
Residents took the streets, blocking roads with burning tyres and rocks and also damaged the local police station.
A community member told Jacaranda FM News that the man sold pirated CD’s in the streets and was known to have smoked nyaope but that police had no reason to kill him.
She alleged that the man was killed during a routine police patrol.
"We found the guy dead. Why should the Soshanguve police kill him? Because last time it was the TUT student who was killed by police, today is another guy.”
Police spokesperson Matsobene Mabusela confirmed that the man’s body was found but said the cause of death has not yet been established.
Mabusela confirmed the protest has caused some damage to property.
“The police station was damaged, there was some fire also burnt just at the entrance of the station. From where I'm standing I could not see exactly what is the extent of the damage."
No arrests have been made.