Protests at funeral of teen killed by cop
|Published
One of Thato's friends celebrates his passing by jumping on a moving car roof and dancing in front of the house where the church service was held. The funeral service of 16-year old Thato Mokoka who was shot by a student police officer at his home was held at Bramfischerville in Dobsonviile,Soweto he was later buried in Dobsonville cemetery. Picture: Antoine de Ras, 19/02/2012 One of Thato's friends celebrates his passing by jumping on a moving car roof and dancing in front of the house where the church service was held. The funeral service of 16-year old Thato Mokoka who was shot by a student police officer at his home was held at Bramfischerville in Dobsonviile,Soweto he was later buried in Dobsonville cemetery. Picture: Antoine de Ras, 19/02/2012
A large crowd of young people who gathered in the streets of Bramfischerville Phase 2 overshadowed the funeral of slain Soweto teenager Thato Mokoka.
The 16-year-old was allegedly shot dead by a student policeman on Tuesday after being accused of owning a gun and terrorising schoolchildren in the area with a gang of boys known as the BWA.
The 41-year-old policeman – a sector patrolling officer in Dobsonville – had gone with a colleague to Thato’s shack, where the BWA allegedly gathered.
They planned to arrest Thato. But during the arrest, the student cop shot him several times with a semi-automatic R5 rifle, said to have been on its automatic setting at the time.
On Sunday, Thato’s funeral service was held in a tent outside the family’s home – just metres away from where he was shot three times.
Thato’s grandmother Sybil, mother Beverley and aunt Mpumi sat within reach of the coffin, which was adorned with flowers and a photo of Thato.
They looked on, forlorn with grief, as the choir from the Batlhorisa Apostolic Church led the mourners in song.
Beverley told The Star she felt healed by the choir’s songs.
As inconsolable pupils and relatives gathered around Thato’s coffin, others gathered in the road – shouting, whistling and blocking motorists by dancing in front of vehicles or jumping on top of them.
On Saturday night the teenagers burnt debris on both sides of the road running past Thato’s home, protesting against police officers driving through the area.
On Sunday they held posters saying “Don’t trust a police”, “Time to say goodbye to Thato” and “Police must protect us not shoot us”.
Later, mourners were forced to walk to the graveyard because bus companies contracted to transport them stopped their drivers from going into the area because of the tension.
Community spokesman Skhumbuzo Njikelane said:
“They (youths) are not distracting from the funeral. They are listening to us. They are not here to fight. They just want to say farewell to their comrade. We don’t need violence from police or the crowd.”
Victoria Wynn, who saw Thato grow up, said the youngsters were angry at the way police handled Thato’s arrest.
“They just don’t want the police to come here. As long as they stay away, these kids will be fine. Everybody loved Thato.”
The student constable responsible for the shooting has been arrested and was due to appear in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court today.
* A Bangladeshi businessman who owns a shop in Bramfischerville Phase 2 alleged that pupils at Thato’s funeral vandalised his shop after the service.
Mohammed Ayub’s shop was broken into and looted.
- The Star