Cape Town - A feud over an illegal electrical connection has left one person dead.
The victim was allegedly shot by police attending to a report in Hazeldene on Tuesday night.
He reportedly took out a gun and tried to shoot at the officers but he ended up being shot at.
Homeowner Nomayenzeka Sipele, 52, said she was preparing to sleep when she heard sounds outside her White Road house.
“My grandson alerted me to the sounds and I also heard.
“I went to look out the window and saw dark figures in front of my house as it was load shedding time and I went into my bedroom.”
Minutes later she went to check what was happening outside.
“I saw a police officer standing near the transformer in front of my house and there was a trench next to it.
“I knew it was the illegal connectors, they do that almost every night. They have been doing that for the past five years, since the erection of Ramaphosa informal settlement.
“The officer told me to get back inside the house. I heard him call for backup.”
The shocked woman told the Cape Argus she heard loud bangs as the police started firing bullets.
“I didn’t know that they were shooting at the victim; I couldn’t get out of my house.
“I was allowed to leave my house when the forensics left.”
The victim was in the backyard of Sipele’s neighbour’s house.
“I wasn’t shocked about the Ramaphosa people being in front of the house and armed. We have been afraid to confront them because they always threaten us. Before there was a transformer there was a pole and they connected their cables to that,” Sipele said.
“My house almost burnt down because a live wire fell on it. My roof is damaged from them walking on it. I had been to the Nyanga police numerous times and nothing happened.
“Now this incident has left me fearing for my life because someone died and they (Ramaphosa residents) might come back for revenge.”
Nyanga Community Policing Forum secretary Dumisani Qwebe said they were aware of the feud.
“We condemn the shooting on the police officer, this is the second incident that a Nyanga officer is shot at, even though the gun jammed, if it hadn’t maybe we would be preparing a funeral for an officer.”