Passerby allegedly shot by a stray Metro police rubber bullet during land invasion

A woman is recovering in hospital after allegedly being shot by the Metro police after a group of backyard dwellers illegally invaded land in Rabie Ridge.

Kima Mogolobi (35) was walking with a friend from Midrand when she was hit by a stray rubber bullet on 20 October. “Doctors said I might spend three to six weeks in hospital because of the bone fracture on my knee. I had to take my children to my sibling to look after while I’m lying in hospital. What happened to me was not fair. I was not even part of whatever was happening,” said Mogolobi.

Mogolobi has not yet opened a case. Metro Police Station spokesperson Wayne Minnaar said he had not received reports of the incident. “There are no reports of Metro police firing rubber bullets at people in the area on the said date. The police do not fire rubber bullets unless people turn violent.”

Last month, the Metro police used rubber bullets to disperse land invaders on the land allegedly belonging to the City. A leader of the Backyard Dwellers organisation Lukhanyo Mnyamana accused the Metro police of waging civil war against community members.

He said that about 7 600 people from Rabie Ridge, Kanana and Ivory Park were planning on building shacks on the land. He alleged that the land belonged to a private owner who apparently bought it in 1996.

“The land was registered in 1996 but there hasn’t been any development. Why were they shooting at us? They came to us with a court order from 2017, which was for another piece of land, not the one we are occupying,” said Mnyamana.

“We don’t have land to stay on and we have decided to occupy this land because it has become a crime haven. We want the owners to come out so we can negotiate with them. But why are police shooting us?

“Are they waging a civil war with the community? An innocent woman is lying in hospital for something she does not know anything about.”

Mnyamana added that about 11 shacks had been erected on the land.

“The Metro police came and destroyed our shacks. They must bring back our materials because we are poor people and not criminals. We just want the land to live on,” said Mnyamana.

Ward 110 councillor Lesiba Lamola condemned the act by the Metro police. “As councillors, we do not have the power to give people land or take land away from the people. We understand the plight of people to have land to live on.

Lamola added, “I am currently engaging with community members to establish what happened. However, it was very wrong for people to be shot with rubber bullets unless they were violent.”

Region A director Abigail Ndlovu refused to comment on the matter. “I cannot comment on the issue yet until I get a full report,” she said.

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