PICS: Protest over food parcels erupts in Johannesburg
After the shooting the JMPD officers disappeared, he said.
#LockdownSA Lawrence Madihlaba claimed that he was shot with rubber bullets at close range by JMPD officers inside his shack. Residents of Booysens informal settlement had earlier barricaded Eloff Street demanding food parcels (@ntwaagae) pic.twitter.com/M7MRAVXl0I
— Team News24 (@TeamNews24) April 28, 2020
Madihlaba said he removed three pellets from his right foot.
He said he feared he could lose some of his toes as they were dislocated.
“I don’t know why they attacked me inside my shack. I was not protesting and I tried explaining to them, but they laughed and opened fire at me. They only focused on right foot as I was not wearing shoes,” he said.
He was later taken to hospital.
Residents who survive by collecting food from two nearby dumping sites accuse their ward councillor Mongameli Mnyameni of ignoring them during lockdown and preventing donors from bringing food parcels to the area.
READ | UN Human Rights Office highlights ‘toxic lockdown culture’ in SA
Community leader Thembelani Zwana also accused Mnyameni of failing to educate them about the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We can’t sell recyclable materials we have collected before lockdown. Many of us here don’t have knowledge about coronavirus. We are in the dark. We are currently surviving by eating expired food from dumping sites because we don’t have money to buy groceries.
“Our councillor has ignored us. We have been pleading with him to come and educate people about this virus. We are worried about the living conditions here because should one be positive, we are all going to die,” said Zwana.
Mnyameni denied the claims, saying he had brought people to the area to educate residents about the virus.
He also denied that he was ignoring the residents when it came to food distribution.
“There is no way I can prevent people from donating food to our people. I earlier went to all voting stations in my ward and coordinated lists of people who should receive food parcels.
“After the announcement by the province that all leaders must distance themselves from food distributions, I did so. I have handed their names to the social development department,” said Mnyameni.
