Johannesburg – Police shot dead a 15-year-old boy on Thursday during a search for a prison escapee in Esikhawini, near Empangeni in the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal, SABC radio news reported.
The boy's father Sbu Ndlovu said his son, Kwazi had been sleeping on the couch when police stormed the house and shot him.
Police said they were searching for Thili Mzimela, one of the eight prisoners who escaped from the Westville prison in Durban in February.
"Without asking any questions they just shot the boy. Something must be done about this," Kwazi's aunt, Esther Majola told SABC radio news.
The incident comes one week after a study found that fatal police shootings in South Africa hit a 12-year high last year, with 556 people killed.
The study, by the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, brought fresh scrutiny to national police Commissioner Bheki Cele's declaration last year that police in the crime-plagued country should "shoot to kill".
The Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD), a government watchdog, said it was investigating Thursday's shooting.
"I'm aware of the incident. We are investigating," ICD spokesperson Moses Dlamini told AFP.
Dlamini said police allege they acted in self-defence after the boy pulled a gun on them.
The shooting happened in the town of Esikhawini in northern KwaZulu-Natal province, he said.
– SAPA
In News24.com
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