Some measure of calm in Eldorado Park after violent clashes following teen’s death
Jones said the community had lost trust in the police and were demanding justice.
Residents run from members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) firing rubber bullets outside the SAPS offices in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, on August 27, 2020, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead. (Photo by Michele Spatari / AFP)
Gauteng Community Safety MEC Faith Mazibuko and SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) officials have quelled the violent situation in Eldorado Park, following fury over the fatal shooting of a teenager.
They were able to calm down the angry crowd, which had clashed with police on Thursday afternoon.
Mazibuko addressed residents who demanded justice following the death of Nathaniel Bradley Julies, 16.
Julies was shot and killed, allegedly by the Eldorado Park police on Wednesday evening.
Earlier in the morning, residents armed with stones, attacked and damaged the local police station.
Two police officers in a police van were attacked and injured.
Ten people were arrested and later released by the police.
Mazibuko said a third police officer was later injured during the clashes and all three were recuperating in hospital.
“We are engaging with the community to bring calm and share with them that what had happened, we are also saddened as government. We want calm here and call on them to allow IPID to investigate the matter.
“No stone will be left unturned in ensuring that will bring an end into the matter. The young man should not have been killed. We want to get the real information as to what has happened,” said Mazibuko.
Mazibuko promised they will continue to update Julies’ parents on the progress of the IPID investigation.
SAHRC Gauteng manager Buang Jones said they engaged with the police management and diffused the situation.
Jones said the community had lost trust in the police and were demanding justice.
“We have been able to secure bail for some of the arrested people. We have agreed with the police to work with the leaders to ensure calm is restored and that there is no violence.
“We are going to meet with the family to obtain instructions as to what to see going forward. If [they] seek appropriate relief and want legal assistance, the commission will consider assisting the family.
“We are also going to engage with IPID and ensure that they probe the young man’s murder. We still have to verify if the young man was killed by the police,” said Jones.
IPID spokesperson Ndileka Cola confirmed they were investigating the matter.
Cola said IPID investigators struggled to access the scene as the situation was volatile.
“They ultimately managed to access it. It was almost impossible to conduct interviews as the community was violent. However, IPID officials managed to visit the family of the deceased person.
“Further investigation, which includes acquiring further information from the police, eyewitnesses, ballistics and postmortem, is yet to be conducted,” Cola said.
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