Teen who was shot dead in eMbalenhle-protest will be buried on Sunday

eMBALENHLE- The Nkosi family want justice for the 16-year-old Innocent Nkosi who was shot dead during the eMbalenhle electricity protest on Monday, June 14.

The teen joined others at the R546 road that leads to Evander when the police allegedly fired live ammunition at the protestors.

Innocent Nkosi was allegedly shot as and killed in the process. 

His funeral will be held on Sunday.

The mayor, Mr Nhlakanipho Nkosi, visited the bereaved family on Thursday, June 17.

Ridge Times reported on Monday, June 14, that the newly built municipal offices in eMbalenhle were broken into and ransacked by protesters.

It was later set alight and partly burnt. It was burned down during a mass protest two years. The protesters were on their way to the stadium to hand over a memorandum to Mr Zuma when the mass decided to storm the Govan Mbeki municipal offices.

Office equipment such as chairs and computers were snatched.

The protest action ensued after a community meeting was held in the eMbalenhle Stadium on Sunday, June 13.

The initial decision was taken to only stage a march against the electricity problems at eMbalenhle.

The community is complaining about municipal load-shedding which they believe is being done on purpose.

Residents still want Eskom to take over the network and supply from Govan Mbeki Municipality.

They also demand that the municipality fast-track the long-overdue Bracken Substation project, because they are constantly hearing that eMbalenhle’s electricity crisis will be the thing of the past once the connection to the Bracken substation is complete.

They also demanded flat-rate payment for services to the municipality.

Community members began blocking roads with big stones and burning tyres on Sunday night. Some protesters charged motorists money to pass through.

They even attempted to close R546, but police used rubber bullets to disperse them. The police worked the entire night to calm the situation.

Many people didn’t go to work on Monday as there was no transport available around the said sections.

The memorandum was handed over to Govan Mbeki municipality executive mayor Mr Nhlakanipho Zuma.