SANCO condemns killing of 14-year-old boy in Standerton

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SANCO condemns killing of 14-year-old boy in Standerton
A 14 year old teenager was shot dead at Semendeni section in Sakhile on Friday. PICTURE BY eyewitness.

The civic movement organised the march to complain about lack of service delivery but it turned out badly when police killed a 14-year-old and protesters started looting.


The South African National Civic Organisation has condemned the killing of a 14-year-old boy in Standerton.

The police opened live ammunition to try contain a large group of people approaching, killing the child.

Regional secretary Bongani Mwale said they have instructed the leadership in Standerton to stop the march “to avert further injury to community members”.

SANCO organised the march on Friday morning to the Standerton police station to demand the immediate arrest of Lekwa municipal manager Linda Tshabalala.

After this, the march was going to go to the Lekwa municipality, where SANCO was to complain about the lack of service delivery.

But this didn’t happen – instead it erupted into protests engulfing the whole township, with people blocking streets and roads with burning tyres and looting shops owned by foreign nationals.

Mwale said they distanced themselves from all criminal elements that occurred soon afterwards.

SEE ALSO: Standerton police shoot, kill 14-year-old boy

“SANCO is angered and vehemently condemn the recorded disturbing opportunistic criminal elements that erupted after the march, and the looting of the shops owned by foreign nationals,” Mwale said in a statement on Friday afternoon.

“In the mist of the police brutality against our communities, SANCO shall continue to be the mouthpiece of communities and shall continue to raise service delivery issues without any prejudice.

“SANCO strongly believe that the SAPS must account for the loss of life and the injuries suffered by the people,” said Mwale.

ANC regional spokesman Sabelo Sikhakhane said both Tshabalala and Standerton mayor Linda Dlamini were summoned by the party in the region to come “account for the situation in Lekwa”.

A case of fraud and corruption was opened against Tshabalala by SANCO after R21 million allegedly disappeared from municipal coffers.

However Mwale said it was not true that it is SANCO that opened the case as the case was opened by an “individual”.

(edited by ZK)

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