News / Africa
SA police shoots Zimbabwean toddler dead
28 May 2013 at 03:24hrs | Views
A Zimbabwean couple is still struggling to repatriate the body of its child, killed by South African police three weeks ago.
One-year-old Paidamoyo Chikati was strapped on her mother's back when she was shot three times by members of the South African Police Service who were trying to contain a rowdy crowd at the Mooiplas Extension informal settlement, Pretoria West, on 12 May.
The child's parents, Sophia Tshuma and Edmore Chikati, are originally from Chiedza village in Rutenga, where they want to bury their child.
The family, still trying to come to grips with the tragic loss, are stranded and seeking well-wishers to try and fund the transportation and burial.
The cops, from Erasmia Police Station, were trying to disperse an angry crowd, which wanted to prevent the lawmen from leaving with a suspected robber the crowd wanted to beat to death.
Resultantly, police also recklessly shot three other people - two of them sitting in their nearby shacks and another in his car, which was parked nearby.
Azaria Dube Nduba, chairman of non-governmental organisation, Human Rights Africa, which is trying to assist the couple, said the civil society organisation was still struggling to see the couple's wish granted.
"We have sent appeals to a number of people and organisations we know, but so far, we have not had any luck," said Nduna, whose organisation is also pushing police to compensate the couple for its loss.
"These people have gone through the worst of pain already. Just imagine the woman having had to go through the pain of her child shot at her back. We now want to see them manage to have their child laid to rest in the decent way they wish for and would therefore, appeal to any Zimbabwean businessman of organisation come forward to assist this couple in their hour of deepest need."
Nduna blamed the police for using live ammunition in the reckless manner that claimed the life of the child, adding that his organisation was also pushing to have the couple compensated by the South African government.
"Chikati was playing soccer at a nearby community ground and was shocked by the merciless death of his child," added Nduna.
"As a refugee, he cannot raise enough funds to repatriate the body his child and thus, approached us for assistance. Their travelling documents are still being processed by the Zimbabwean Consulate, but the main problem is that there have been no funds so far."
Those willing to assist can call Nduna on 078 166 2345.
One-year-old Paidamoyo Chikati was strapped on her mother's back when she was shot three times by members of the South African Police Service who were trying to contain a rowdy crowd at the Mooiplas Extension informal settlement, Pretoria West, on 12 May.
The child's parents, Sophia Tshuma and Edmore Chikati, are originally from Chiedza village in Rutenga, where they want to bury their child.
The family, still trying to come to grips with the tragic loss, are stranded and seeking well-wishers to try and fund the transportation and burial.
The cops, from Erasmia Police Station, were trying to disperse an angry crowd, which wanted to prevent the lawmen from leaving with a suspected robber the crowd wanted to beat to death.
Resultantly, police also recklessly shot three other people - two of them sitting in their nearby shacks and another in his car, which was parked nearby.
Azaria Dube Nduba, chairman of non-governmental organisation, Human Rights Africa, which is trying to assist the couple, said the civil society organisation was still struggling to see the couple's wish granted.
"We have sent appeals to a number of people and organisations we know, but so far, we have not had any luck," said Nduna, whose organisation is also pushing police to compensate the couple for its loss.
"These people have gone through the worst of pain already. Just imagine the woman having had to go through the pain of her child shot at her back. We now want to see them manage to have their child laid to rest in the decent way they wish for and would therefore, appeal to any Zimbabwean businessman of organisation come forward to assist this couple in their hour of deepest need."
Nduna blamed the police for using live ammunition in the reckless manner that claimed the life of the child, adding that his organisation was also pushing to have the couple compensated by the South African government.
"Chikati was playing soccer at a nearby community ground and was shocked by the merciless death of his child," added Nduna.
"As a refugee, he cannot raise enough funds to repatriate the body his child and thus, approached us for assistance. Their travelling documents are still being processed by the Zimbabwean Consulate, but the main problem is that there have been no funds so far."
Those willing to assist can call Nduna on 078 166 2345.
Source - zimbabwean
