Source: South Africa News Agency
Police Minister Bheki Cele on Saturday dispelled rumours that a body was found near the Mandela residence in Soweto on Friday night.
“There was an issue raised that somebody died around that incident. In the morning I confirmed that nobody died, nobody was injured out of that,” said the Minister who was briefing media outside struggle heroine Winnie Madikizela-Mandelas’ house on Saturday night.
This as it had been reported that a body was found a few streets from the house of the late struggle heroine last night.
Minister Cele lamented the incident saying it is illegal to discharge a firearm in the presence of other people.
“It’s illegal to discharge a firearm at a built up area worse when there are people in that particular area,” he said of the incident that is believed to be that of the uMkhonto we Sizwe veterans.
He said the police are investigating the matter, that happened as the country mourns the passing on of Mama Winnie as she was affectionately known. Throngs of ordinary South Africans, Deputy President David Mabuza as well as Cabinet Ministers among others have since her death paid their respects to the “mother of the nation” by visiting her residence in Soweto.
Minister Cele said the police is investigating the matter adding that police had gathered cartridges related to the shooting incident as part of their investigation.
“The narrative was that there was some police from the investigative Unit who were there picking [up] some cartridges [from the scene], that would be the issue because there are cartridges that are dropped and need to be picked up,” said the Minister at the briefing outside the Mandela residence in Soweto.
The cartridges were being picked up by police to check the calibre of the weapon used and to check whether the firearm was not linked to other crime scenes. In addition the Minister suspects that there may be unlicensed firearms that were used in the shooting.
“We had to pick up those cartridges, not because somebody was shot. I still confirm that nobody was shot, nobody injured and nobody died. But there is a rumour that on the other side of the rail that a body was picked up. We have all checked no body was picked up,” he said.
“After this I will be dealing with the ex-combatants of uMkhonto we Sizwe,” said the Minister.
Meanwhile police presence has been increased in and around the residence. – SAnews.gov.za