Durban - A housebreaking investigation in Eshowe, Zululand, went horribly wrong on Friday evening when community members stoned and assaulted three police officers in the King Dinizulu Township.
Two of the officers had their service firearms stolen, but these were later recovered.
Warrant Officer Joseph Mpungose and Constable Nomusa Mthabela from the Eshowe detective unit, and Constable Bonginhlanhla Mbatha went to a communal home with a complainant to question a suspect when they came under attack.
Mpungose and Mbatha were admitted in hospital with head and body injuries, while Mthabela escaped with bruises.
Mbatha is still in a serious but stable condition in hospital, while Mpungose was discharged on Sunday.
Constable Mthabela could not control her emotions as she narrated the unfolding events on Monday.
With a quivering voice, she told of how the officers had gone to the house to investigate a housebreaking case.
“The complainant stays in the communal house, and it was dark as there was no electricity in the house. The complainant had told the police he suspected the landlady for the theft from his room,” she recalled.
“While we were talking to the landlady, her son insulted the complainant, telling him to pack his things and leave.
“We tried to stop him, telling him that he was not the reason why we were there, but that his mother was. He stood on the bed and continued the insults,” Mthabela said.
The man, who ended up with a bullet wound to the stomach, is alleged to have jumped on Mbatha, wrestling him for his firearm.
“He wouldn’t let go of the firearm, and we tried to move them out of the house.
“Things were getting out of control and a gunshot went off, hitting the man in the stomach, while another shot hit another man in the crowd in the buttocks. That’s when the landlady screamed, telling the neighbourhood that the police were attempting to kill her son. The situation spiralled out of control as community members joined the fray, assaulting my two colleagues,” she said.
The angry mob dragged Mbatha to a secluded area where they continued assaulting him. Mthabela managed to run to the police van and radioed for back-up.
Warrant Officer Mpungose said mob action caught them by surprise. “In my 26 years of service I’ve been in volatile situations, but this one was unexpected because we didn’t come to a mob.
“We went to the house to speak to the owner. People need to learn to be tolerant and work with the police instead of working against them, because you don’t know when you will need them,” he said.
Queen Xulu, chairperson of Eshowe community policing forum, said the community had a good relationship with the police, but alcohol abuse sometimes complicated that relationship.
“The problem we face is liquor outlets that operate 24 hours. I will make contact with the area councillors so that a community meeting is called,” Xulu said.
She said people were quick to blame when police took time to respond to calls of distress.
Eshowe police spokeswoman Captain Tienkie van Vuuren said people have no respect for the law.
Provincial police spokesman Colonel Jay Naicker said two suspects were hospitalised and are under police guard while one, Justice Xulu (25), appeared in the area magistrate’s court for attempted murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances. He was remanded to November 3.
“The police were attacked by community members who assaulted them with bricks, and robbed them of their service firearms. One of the hospitalised suspects was discharged and will appear in court today, while the one shot in the stomach is still in hospital in stable condition. The three men were not suspects in the housebreaking case, but they obstructed police from performing their duty.”
Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Mmamonnye Ngobeni condemned the attack on police officers during the execution of their duties. “It is unacceptable that members of this community chose to protect criminals and turned on officers of the law instead,” she said.
Daily News