Joburg Public Safety MMC Tshwaku calls for police accountability over EFF Councillor’s fatal shooting

City of Joburg’s public safety MMC, Mgcini Tshwaku has blamed the police for the death of slain EFF member Moshe Mphahlele. Picture: Supplied

City of Joburg’s public safety MMC, Mgcini Tshwaku has blamed the police for the death of slain EFF member Moshe Mphahlele. Picture: Supplied

Published Aug 12, 2024

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City of Joburg’s Public Safety MMC Mgcini Tshwaku has blamed the police for the death of slain EFF councillor Moshe Mphahlele and demanded that they should be held accountable.

EFF regional leader in Gauteng, Moshe Mphahlele, was killed in Bramley in Johannesburg, a week ago.

It is alleged that he was fatally wounded while police were trying to disperse a crowd who were illegally occupying flats in Bramley.

Mphahlele, who was also a ward councillor in Alexandra, was buried on August 9.

In a video posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), Tshwaku, during a community meeting with residents in Alexandra, blamed the police for Mphahlele's murder and called for accountability.

“There must be accountability of why the South African Police Service (SAPS) officers were not there (during the incident) because the mandate is with the SAPS. Where were they?” he said.

In the video, residents clap in support of Tshwaku's words, with one person shouting, “Khuluma mfowethu” meaning “Speak, my brother.”

He said Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) officers were present when Mphahlele was shot and killed.

“JMPD officers were here and they have tried shame, and the security officers, but you ask yourself a question who gave a command for those people to shoot.”

“Who gave a command,” he shouted into the microphone.

Tshwaku is also an EFF councillor in the coalition government in the city, and head of the Public Safety department, which controls the JMPD.

In a separate video, he said: “There must be accountability. Mphahlele died senselessly and we buried his body and saw our brother here.”

According to Tshwaku over 200 shots were fired during the service delivery protest over the flats.

“Over 200 shots were fired according to the carriages count. What is that? The spirit of Mphahlele must guide us on this thing,” he said.

He also called on the Johannesburg Social Housing Company (Josco) to step in, let residents voice their concerns, and debate the allocation of the flats.

Josco was created by the COJ to provide and manage social and affordable rental accommodation that service various households with income levels of between R1 850 to R22 000 per month, as part of the City’s plan to eradicate its housing backlog.

“There must be an explanation of why there was illegal eviction in the first place and why people were evicted and thrown outside like a piece of shit,” he said.

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