EMPD denies officers shot at protestors

EMPD officers did not fire any ammunition at any person during a protest outside Ergo Mine (DRD Gold) in Brakpan on March 24.

April 12, 2021

Xoliswa Kali 1 minute read

Demonstrators claim they only wanted to hand over a memorandum at Ergo Mine on the morning of March 24.

EMPD officers did not fire any ammunition at any person during a protest outside Ergo Mine (DRD Gold) in Brakpan on March 24.
This is according to Lerato Monyane, media liaison officer of the EMPD. He was responding to the Advertiser’s inquiries about the incident.

Also read: Protest at Rietfontein Waste Management

It was reported in the Advertiser’s April 8 edition, “Unarmed protestors say officers shot at them”, how more than a hundred unarmed members and supporters of Kwatsaduza Geluksdal Forum staged a protest.
They claimed the gathering was a peaceful demonstration and that they intended to hand over a memorandum of grievances to the company’s CEO.

A woman who was part of the group of protestors claimed to be shot twice in the back.

The protest was disbanded before the group fulfilled their mandate. The group alleged that officers from both the EMPD and SAPS fired rubbers bullets at them, resulting in some people being injured.

Also read: Protest at Rietfontein Waste Management

In addition to denying that EMPD officers opened fire on protestors, Monyane said the KGF’s application to protest (section 205) was received on March 9.
“A meeting was conducted on March 16, and there was a follow-up meeting held on March 18 with the relevant stakeholders.
“In terms of section 205, a march/gathering/ procession must conform to requirements. For example, no violence or physical harm to any person or property is allowed,” said Monyane.