Three community members were admitted to hospital with gunshot wounds after a public safety officer’s gun went off during a march in Tarlton on Monday. A community member claims the officer shot three people while the crowd was dispersing peacefully while the Mogale City municipality claims the shot went off during a scuffle where community members tried to grab the gun from the officer.

Emmanuel Munyai from Ward 30 told the Krugersdorp News that at about 10:00, more than 300 residents marched because they wanted the Mogale City Local Municipality’s MMC of Human Settlements Danny Molefi Thupane to address them.

They had three issues they wanted to raise:

• Firstly, the slow pace at which the project was being completed.
• Secondly, they claimed the people employed for the project were not local and came from other areas and that no Tarlton residents were employed on the project.
• The third issue was with the contractor for the project who allegedly appointed a family member as subcontractor.

Thupane came to address them and according to Munyai he told the crowd that he would come back to them with answers. He claimed that the community then agreed to leave.

There were public safety officers on scene and while the MMC was leaving they walked him to his car. Munyai said no one was fighting, no roads were closed off and no infrastructure was damaged.

He alleged that while the crowd was dispersing, a public safety officer shot three people. He alleges that two young men are still in hospital while a woman has already been discharged.

The newspaper asked the municipality for comment and William Nchefu, Manager of Public Safety confirmed the shooting incident.

He said between 300 to 400 disgruntled community members gathered to address the MMC about their grievances.

“This team of security officers were deployed to provide security services as usual for gatherings of this nature. It is alleged that post the address of the MMC a number of dissatisfied members of the community stormed the MMC, and officials and others rushed to lock the gates to prohibit them from exiting the area,” Nchefu explained.

He believed at one stage the community were not happy with the response they received and what followed was a type of hostage drama by the community.

In the process a scuffle ensued, and the aggressive members of the community were trying to grab a firearm from the holster of an officer.

Nchefu claimed that the gun accidentally went off during the fight for possession of the gun between a community member and the officer.

“It is alleged that three members of the community were injured in the process,” he explained.

Nchefu added an investigation by the police is underway and a case has been opened with the Tarlton police.

West Rand District Police spokesperson Sergeant Carmen Hendricks confirmed a case has been opened and under investigation.