THE Operation Dudula Movement has set the record straight following the shootout that led to the killing of a man on Monday, 18 April.
The movement’s general secretary Zandile Dabula told Daily Sun the meeting which was aimed at resolving cable theft was among residents.
Dabula said Nhlanhla “Lux” Dlamini attended the meeting as a resident and not in his capacity as the youth leader of the movement.
Dabula said the movement’s operations are always escorted by law enforcement officials to prevent violence.
On Monday, Pimville residents in Soweto approached the Chicken Farm squatter camp residents in Kliptown in protest against cable theft and a clash ensued. According to reports, residents were accompanied by members of the movement.
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Dabula said: “Members of the movement are also ordinary members of communities. Some of our members reside in Pimville, including Nhlanhla who also joined the meeting as he has also been affected by the cable theft. Upon their arrival at the informal settlement, where Sotho nationals reside, chaos erupted,” said Dabula.
She said residents were allegedly warned not to come into their area.
“Young and old citizens were part of the meeting and the information received states that one of the Sotho men took out his gun and started randomly firing shots and he was immediately joined by other sotho nationals who opened fire at residents,” said Dabula.
In his earlier tweet, Lux said they were shot at with rifles and AK-47s.
It is understood that days leading up to the shooting, residents were without electricity for nearly five days.
It is unclear how many people were wounded but according to the police, a case of murder and five counts of attempted murder have been registered for investigation.
The family of Kgomotso Diale (44), who was killed, said he was a community leader and not a member of the movement.
A resident said: “Whenever Eskom replaces cables, residents from the informal settlement steal them and we are left in the dark. The meeting was not intended on fighting but to find a solution.”
Another resident said: “The man who got killed was one of the community leaders and we feel he died for the community’s struggle. His death cannot be in vain. Justice needs to take its course.”
Dabula added: “A man was killed like a dog. This is really heartbreaking and our government is failing its people.”
