Family angry over death of 10-year-old boy allegedly shot by police in Bela-Bela

Ten-year-old Karabo Khumalo was walking with his mother‚ Johanna‚ on Tuesday evening when a police nyala drove past and shot at them.

Karabo was hit twice - once on the head - and later died in a hospital in Polokwane on Wednesday according to family.

"This is wrong‚ we are very angry as a family‚" said Abraham Chokwe‚ Karabo's uncle.

"They have been talking about the mayor. They have been talking about the mayor's car being burnt. But they shot and killed Karabo and no one is talking about it‚" Chokwe said.

He was referring to the torching of Bela-Bela mayor Jeremia Ngobeni's VW Polo on Tuesday‚ as the community in the Limpopo town took to the streets to protest over electricity rates being hiked and allegations that a forensic report into corruption had been prevented from being released.

Ngobeni‚ however‚ said on Wednesday that the protests were orchestrated by a businessman whose contract with the municipality had come to an end.

He denied rumours that he was forced to flee from the angry crowds.

Chokwe said the 10-year-old was a gifted football player and "loved going to school".

"He was such a good boy. As a family‚ we were looking forward to him becoming something one day‚" Chokwe said. "He liked playing soccer and he could've been a professional. He was always carrying a football when you saw him."

Chokwe said the family had been left furious with the incident‚ since Karabo wasn't part of the strike and the police had only arrived to visit the family after news broke about his death.

"They didn't come to us when the incident happened. They are only coming now‚ as we speak‚" he said on Thursday.

Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said on Wednesday that police had arrested more than 10 people on charges ranging from malicious damage to property‚ arson and public violence‚ and that the police were engaged in "skirmishes" with the community.

He confirmed the death of Karabo‚ but referred any questions to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.

IPID spokesperson Moses Dlamini said the shooting wasn't reported immediately and that it had only found out about it on Thursday.

"The discharge of an official firearm was not reported to the IPID. The failure to report will also be investigated‚" he said in a statement. The death as a result of police action was only reported on Thursday.

"It is alleged that on 07 February 2017 at about 20:00‚ there was a protest by community members from Bela Bela. Public Order Police members from Thohoyandou‚ Giyani and Modimolle were called to disperse protesters with rubber bullets‚" he said in a statement.

"The deceased … Karabo Khumalo was with his mother. The deceased was shot with a rubber bullet on his head and was rushed to a local hospital.

"He was transferred to Polokwane Hospital where he passed away on 08 February 2017‚" the statement said.

Dlamini said investigations were continuing with no arrests made yet.