Cape Town - EFF leader Julius Malema has promised the family of Mthokozisi Ntumba that his party will help them ensure that the government pays for the death of the 35-year-old, who was allegedly shot dead by police in Braamfotein last week.
Ntumba was returning from a doctor’s visit when he was caught in the crossfire as police tried to quell a protest at Wits University last Wednesday.
“They are not coping. This came as a shock to them, in the same way it came as a shock to all of us,” Malema said to supporters gathered outside the family’s Kempton Park home on Sunday.
“We are here to say to them they are not alone, we are with them. We are here to say to them their child did not commit any crime. The only crime he committed is of being black, Because when you are black and you are a suspect your life is always taken away without consequences,” Malema said.
He accused the police of orchestrating a cover-up as no arrests have been made yet.
“We have said to the family that we will give them lawyers. We will make sure that the post mortem is conducted properly. We are going to make sure the government pays for the senseless killing of our brother,” the EFF leader said.
“We are going to make sure that our brother receives a dignified funeral. They might have killed him like a dog, but he will never be buried like a dog.”
In a statement issued on Wednesday night, Ipid said its investigation team were “processing voluminous evidence gathered in the crime scene during the preliminary investigation it conducted”.
“During the preliminary investigation the Directorate has managed to collect numerous witness statements, to confiscate firearms and the same will be taken for ballistic analysis, post mortem to determine actual cause of death will be conducted later this week, family liaison has started and the investigation continues.”
IOL