Bloody scenes as rubber bullets fired at protesters outside Tshwane House

It was bloody scenes of people with deep bullet wounds bleeding and laying on the streets after the TMPD and armed police shot at a group of protesters outside Tshwane House on Thursday morning.

The chanting of outsourced security officers, disgruntled general workers and EFF members, was silenced by the loud sounds of a stun grenade followed by rubber bullets fired at the protesters a few minutes after 11:00.

The Tshwane budget speech, which was to be delivered, was delayed due to the protest action.

“I was standing at the gate and before I knew it the police and TMPD got there and there was a loud noise of a stun grenade and tear gas went off,” said one of the protesters, Angeline Makhokane.

Makhokane had been amongst those blocking the gate of Tshwane House singing and using the gate as a drum.

“Police fired rubber bullets without warning prior just few seconds after the tear gas was deployed.

“I inhaled the gas because I was pushed to the corner and I could not even move as people were running out of fear.”

Mothusi Hanyane, who was injured during the stampede, said about three people fell on top of him in the chaos.

Sello Selamolela was shot with a rubber bullet and sustained a wound which a paramedic who treated him described as deep enough to fit a finger.

Another protester, Mohlokoane Mamello, suffered a deep wound to the ankle.

Paramedics had to take out her sock which was stuck inside her wound as the rubber bullet penetrated her flesh.

She could not move after having suffered the wound.

Mamello and three others were taken by private paramedics to hospital 15 minutes after the shooting.

 

Godfrey Makube, who was shot twice in the hand and left with one deep wound on the back of his hand and a broken finger, was not so lucky.

He had to wait about two hours for a Gauteng EMS ambulance to arrive.

This as Tshwane ambulance services had been provincialised and were no longer working, however, Tshwane EMS assisted at the scene.

“I was just sitting at the steps as my colleagues were singing and I just heard a stun grenade and gunshots and I ran.

“When I got to the opposite Sammy Marks parking on Madiba Street, I saw that a bullet pierced my finger and it was broken. I was also hit with another bullet on the back of my hand, which had penetrated deeply.

“I am in pain. We were shot and were not even violent.”

Three other people that sustained rubber bullet wounds also waited with him with two people who inhaled gas.

Muofhe Ndivhuwo sustained a rubber bullet wound to the neck while Mohlala Percy was hit on the back. They were also taken to hospital by the Gauteng EMS.

Overall about ten people sustained injuries. About eight had rubber bullet wounds and two suffered from smoke inhalation.

Despite the injured protesters, the workers continued with their protest.

TMPD spokesperson Nonhlanhla Tapala said the protesters had applied to demonstrate, but their application was not approved.

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