By Nothando Makhubela
The family of the late Leah Lubisi say she was shot dead by police on Monday while residents of KwaGuqa township in Mpumalanga were protesting over electricity.
According to her daughter, 50-year-old Leah wasn’t even participating in the strikes when she was gunned down.
“I was with my mother at her friend’s place,” said Bongiwe Masheeo, who was unable to hold back her tears during an interview with Scrolla.Africa.
“I was there because my mother’s friend requested me to help her with the R350 grant reapplication, so we were all standing far away from the strike. We heard gunshots while seeing people fleeing and being chased by police.”
When they heard the gunshots, Leah told her daughter and her friend to start running. In the confusion, all three ran in different directions.
But Leah was still in her daughter’s eyeline when the police let off more shots.
“My mother was shot from behind while running. The bullet hit her directly in the heart,” she said.
“I witnessed the police shooting my mother while they were chasing protesters. It was around 12pm Monday. The police chased me away and threatened to shoot me like my mother when I screamed and returned to seek help for my mother.”
She claimed that the police told her to go back and bring Leah to them.
“The police told me to return and grab my mother so that I could bring her to them. Watching my mum killed at a protest she did not take part in breaks my heart. She was a kind and calm lady.”
Bongiwe said that she has filed a complaint against the police for her mother’s death.
“We did open a case against the police, and we demand justice.”
Police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said that the case is under investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).
“The case has been referred to the IPID, and if they determine that police officers were involved in shooting the 50-year-old woman, they will make a decision; we are not in a position to intervene.”
On Monday, a protest held by locals against ongoing power outages descended into chaos when a Pick n Pay in the township of KwaGuqa was set alight.
“So far, we have arrested 11 people. The owners of Ackerman’s store discovered another male body inside, but it has not yet been identified. We’re not certain if he was a protester or not,” said Brigadier Mohlala.
The protest started early in the morning with residents blocking roads in all extensions at the N4 highway, Vosman, KG Mall, Hlalanikahle, and Ezinambeni.
As well as a Pick n Pay, multiple Indian owned stores were set alight as the protest was taken over by looting.
Pictured above: Leah Lubisi
