Nothando Makhubela
A devastated 23-year-old mother is demanding justice for her son, who was shot by a police officer chasing a suspected criminal.
Senamile Qaba’s son Unathi was shot by a police officer, named as Constable Duncan Sikhonde, who works at the Ermelo police station in Mpumalanga.
The six-year-old boy was walking home from a nearby shop when he got caught in a police chase.
He was about to enter the gate of his home when he was shot by Sikhonde, who was chasing the criminal.
The young boy was shot in the back, with the bullet passing through his stomach and damaging his intestines.
His mother told Scrolla Africa: “My son was shot by a police officer on 9 August. I was not at home at the time of the accident. But my family was inside the house when they heard the gunshots.
“It was during the day, the time a police officer pulled the trigger when he realised he couldn’t catch the suspect. The witnesses who saw it told my family, but my family ran out of the house as soon as they heard the gunshots.
“The police officer kept running and chasing the suspect criminal without even checking to see if my child was still alive or not,” she said.
The mother said she had not heard from the officer or the police station regarding the matter.
“My heart is broken because I believe the police officer is being protected. The justice system is failing my son. I haven’t heard anything from the police station about this case, and the officer is still reporting for duty and continuing with his life.”
Her son, she said, was shot in the back “and the bullet went through his tummy. His intestines had been injured. For the next six months, he will be using a colostomy bag. He is no longer attending school.
“We were told at the hospital that his condition was critical, but that he was lucky to be alive,” she added.
IPID spokesperson Lizzy Suping stated: “The IPID investigation is still underway. We’re also waiting for technical reports to help with the investigation. We do not dismiss officials, but we do advise the SAPS to take appropriate action.”
Pictured above: Unathi Qaba
