Johannesburg - The brother of slain gang member Thandazile Mancoba has painted him as a troublesome person who had been banished from the church prior to his death for misleading people.
Mancoba was among seven suspects gunned down on Friday by a task team - activated by national commissioner General Khehla Sitole - on the premises of the controversial Mancoba Seven Angels Ministries Church in Nyanga, about 3km from the police station where five police officers and a retired soldier were massacred.
10 others were arrested, while some apparently managed to escape.
The other gang members killed were: Mhlazane Mfazwe, Siyasanga Mfazwe, Xolisa Mancoba, Michael Mancoba and Loyiso Dlambulo. The seventh one is known only as Luzuko.
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Speaking to the SABC on Sunday, Mancoba's younger brother, Bandile, expressed remorse over the massacre and painted a grim picture of his brother's character.
"It's painful what happened at the police, I was not aware of it. I'm very disappointed and very sad.
"Thandazile was one of my elder brothers who was causing trouble here. In 2016, we said he must no longer stay here because he's misleading people.
Mancoba then returned to visit this year, much to the family's delight but Bandile stressed that he had no idea what Mancoba was up to.
"I didn't know if he went as far to get the guns and kill the police. We didn't know. Even my other two brothers died for nothing, especially Xolisa. I don't think they were involved in his scam," he said.
Meanwhile, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) confirmed that a probe was underway to determine if police used excessive force during the operation.
"We've already started an investigation, our investigators were called to the scene soon after the shooting. They will be talking to witnesses and collecting all the evidence we're going to need," Ipid spokesperson Moses Dlamini told ANN7.
"In terms of the Ipid Act, when the police's actions result in the death of any person, Ipid must investigate."