DURBAN – A 24-year-old shop owner is expected to appear before the Ntuzuma Magistrates Court today on charges of murder and possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition.
It is alleged that on 22 November 2020 at 18:00, a group of residents from KwaMashu Hostel embarked on protest action. The group of protestors proceeded to a shop in B Section where they instructed the owner to vacate. The owner allegedly fired shots towards the crowd. A 17-year-old male was fatally shot and he sustained a gunshot wound to the chest. He was identified by his father as Xolani Sithole.
Public Order Police and KwaMashu police were alerted and they responded rapidly. On arrival, they pursued the crowd that was looting the shop and chasing the shop owner. The owner was apprehended and police recovered a 9mm firearm with 21 rounds of ammunition in his possession. He was then placed under arrest and was taken to KwaMashu police station for detention. Furthermore, police officers were able to arrest and charged a total of five suspects for public violence. They are appearing today at the Ntuzuma Magistrates Court.
Police investigation revealed that the firearm was stolen in Greenwood Park policing area in October 2014 in a housebreaking incident.