A farm labourer was “accidentally” shot dead, allegedly by an 11-year-old boy shooting guinea fowl, at a farm in Thabazimbi in Limpopo on Saturday morning.
Police were called to the scene after reports of a shooting.
“On arrival, they discovered the body of an African male, estimated to be in his thirties, lying on his side with a bullet wound to the upper left chest,” police spokesperson Col Malesela Ledwaba said.
The victim was declared dead by medics who were called on the scene.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that an 11-year-old boy was allegedly shooting at guinea fowl on the farm when he accidentally discharged the firearm, fatally wounding a farm worker,“ Ledwaba said.
The boy’s 43-year-old father was arrested and charged with negligent handling of a firearm. The firearm and cartridge were confiscated as part of the ongoing investigation.
“Both the child (in terms of the Child Justice Act) and his father are expected to appear before the Thabazimbi magistrate’s court on Monday.”
Limpopo police commissioner Lt-Gen Thembi Hadebe expressed concern over the incident and reiterated the importance of responsible firearm ownership.
“This heart-breaking incident serves as a reminder that firearms must be handled with the utmost care and stored securely at all times.
“Parents and guardians must ensure that children do not have access to firearms under any circumstances,” Hadebe said.
TimesLIVE
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