DURBAN - A 14-year-old boy was shot during clashes between the Marrianridge community and police.
The teenage boy and seven other residents were allegedly shot by the metro police after they destroyed shacks that were erected on the land. The metro police and the eThekwini officials were conducting an anti-land invasion operation at the time.
A video shows the wounded boy surrounded by residents while a man attends to him.
Community leader, Wendy Swathling said the wounded boy was taken to hospital.
“The child was not part of the land invasion, he was walking from the shop and going to his home and was caught in this. The police used live ammunition to shoot at him,” said Swathling.
A teenage boy was shot, allegedly by police, after they clashed with land invaders.
She said members of the community invaded vacant land and attempted to build informal structures because government had not built them houses.
“Now that we have identified land, we are being sent police to shoot at us,” she said.
Police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said eThekwini officials and metro police conducted an anti-land invasion operation and destroyed the shacks.
"The community allegedly pelted them with stones and rocks. Metro Police used teargas to disperse the attackers. It is alleged that a 14-year-old boy was shot and wounded to the thigh and was taken to hospital for medical attention," she said.
Mbele confirmed police were investigating a case of attempted murder and public violence.