Two incidents in the last year have involved police mistakenly opening fire on taxis transporting workers home. Picture: Phando Jikelo/Independent Media Two incidents in the last year have involved police mistakenly opening fire on taxis transporting workers home. Picture: Phando Jikelo/Independent Media
Cape Town – It has been almost a year since a taxi taking McDonalds employees home from work was shot at by police, killing Noxolo Skota and injuring others.
The Toyota Quantum transporting the staff from work in Kuils River to their homes came under heavy fire after it was mistaken for a vehicle whose occupants were earlier involved in an armed robbery at a Kuils River petrol station.
Skota’s family still has not had closure as the matter is still under investigation.
Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) spokesperson Moses Dlamini said the shooting of the McDonalds employees was still under investigation.
Two weeks ago marked a year since police opened fire on another vehicle that was taking Nando’s staff home on their way from work.
Phumeza Fudumele, who worked at Nando’s in Sunningdale, was killed when police allegedly opened fire on a taxi transporting staff home in Dunoon .
Her colleague was injured.
It was reported that police allegedly believed the taxi had been used in an ATM robbery earlier that day.
Phumeza left two children, who were one and five years old at the time.
“We have made recommendations for the prosecution of some SAPS members to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The outcome of the DPP’s decision is still outstanding,” said Dlamini.
He said they made further recommendations to the police for disciplinary action against some police members and the outcome in this regard is still outstanding.
Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said the provincial police are yet to receive the Ipid recommendations.
This past weekend a police officer allegedly shot and killed a woman in New Crossroads.
Dlamini said according to a report received from the police, it is alleged that on Saturday police officers were busy closing down an illegal shebeen at Koornhof Street in New Crossroads.
“The people in the shebeen allegedly became riotous and the police called for back-up. More police members arrived on the scene and more community members got involved in the matter."
“Community members allegedly attacked the police by throwing stones and damaged police vehicles,” he said.
“It was later reported to the police that the deceased, a 27-year-old female, was taken in a private vehicle to KTC day hospital where she died. The uncle of the deceased was also shot in the right arm, Dlamini said.