Cape Town - Police are being accused of gunning down the gangster son of a pastor after residents in Elsies River attacked cops.
Wade Cloete was shot and killed on his 20th birthday on Tuesday shortly after 9pm.
His heartbroken mother, Charlene Cloete, says she doesn’t know what led to the shooting in Mildersdrift Court, Clarke Estate.
“Two young boys came knocking at the door saying police were looking for Wade’s mother,” she says.
“My mother and sister-in-law went to look and they came back to tell me Wade has been shot.”
Wade is the son of well-known Apostle Deon Klein, of the Precious Lighthouse Church in Elsies River.
Charlene says she immediately called Deon who rushed to the scene where Wade was clinging to life.
“His father was at the scene for an hour and the ambulance had still not arrived,” she says.
“When paramedics eventually came to fetch him, his father rushed to the day hospital, but Wade was not there.
“They then rushed to Tygerberg Hospital, but they got there before the ambulance arrived.”
She confirms her son was a gangster.
“He was part of the Inja gang, who are affiliated to the 26s, and usually hung out at that court.
“He was shot through his mouth. His eye (popped out). Wade died in hospital.
“I am heartbroken, he is my eldest and leaves behind a younger sister. I just want the law to take its course.”
Wade’s aunt, Leeann van Vuuren, 42, says people at the scene claimed cops had shot Wade.
“His friend was kneeling over him crying. I tried keeping him awake, asking him who shot him.
“His friend then pointed to them and the officer standing there told me it was not him.
“A woman was shouting to police, calling them ‘moordenaars’ (murderers) and they threw her aside.
“The colleague was then escorted by four policemen away from the scene,” Leeann says.
Police spokesperson, Captain FC van Wyk, says officers allegedly opened fire after they were attacked and a 20-year-old suspect was shot.
“He was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died due to injuries sustained.
“Cases of attack on police, two attempted murders and an inquest were opened for investigation.”
Van Wyk said he couldn’t elaborate on what led to the incident and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) is investigating.
Ipid spokesperson, Sontaga Seisa, said: “Our investigators are in the vicinity conducting preliminary investigations to determine exactly what happened, and how it happened.”
But Leeann says cops are lying: “They were not attacked by anyone. They were a lot [of cops walking] in the street.
“One woman said she thought they were a klomp jongens and they had their guns out. Daai cops was uit op ’* ding.”