News, confirming that multi-SAMA winning rapper Khuli Chana has been shot by police in a case of mistaken identity, has been received.
MIstaking the rapper for a kidnapper, the police shot and wounded him. He is now recovering in hospital.
The incident occurred in Midrand in the early hours of Monday morning.
According to enca.com, Chana’s manager Refiloe Ramogase said that police identified Chana’s car as matching the description of a vehicle belonging to a kidnapping suspect.
Ramogase then said unmarked vehicles opened fire on Chana’s car.
Chana was apparently lucky not to be more seriously injured, sustaining a bullet wound to his hand, and there is shrapnel lodged in his back.
Chana was the only person in the car at the time.
Public outrage after singer is shot
South Africa
Monday 28 October 2013 - 11:17am
Khuli Chana Picture: eNCA
JOHANNESBURG - Messages of outrage, concern and support have poured for South African artist Khuli Chana, who was shot in a case of mistaken identity by police near the New Road off-ramp in Midrand in the early hours of Monday morning.
Hip-hop artist Katlego Mtunzi, also known as KT, has collaborated with Chana a number of times and says that Chana is a great inspiration with amazing energy that rubs off on you.
He said the news of Chana being shot at by police -- who were in an unmarked car -- is shocking.
“I don’t know what to make of it. The cops are just plain hating. He’s not a dude like that, I don’t think anyone would have to shoot him.”
Mtunzi says the shooting is unacceptable and something needs to be done.
“These cops are really whack -- whoever shot him needs to pay.”
He also said the officers should have exercised more caution and they need to answer for their actions.
“They should make an example with the cops -- they need to chill out and stop shooting people,” said Mtunzi.
They should make an example with the cops - they need to chill out and stop shooting people
Johan Burger of the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) says that police officers in an unmarked car would be acceptable “if they were busy with an undercover operation".
"A marked police car would not have been the right way to do this,” said Burger.
Chana’s legal representatives say they are planning to lay charges of attempted murder against the SAPS officers.
Burger says this is justified as this would be the process taken by the police in this instance as it follows protocol.
“The police would be obliged to open an attempted murder case, especially if that person is injured. Then the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has to investigate.”
North West premier Thandi Modise wished Chana a speedy recovery though her spokesman, Lesiba Kgwele.
“He is a role model to many of the youth in the North West and represents excellence in the arts.”
Kgwele told eNCA.com that Modise is happy that the incident is being investigated by SAPS and receiving attention.
"This shouldn't happen to Khuli Chana or any other citizen of the country."
The ANC Youth League has also condemned the incident.
"We regard this incident of mistaken shooting as a highlight in a sea of many other related mistaken identity foul operations by our police," ANCYL spokesman Bandile Masuku said in a statement.
"We emphasised a long time ago that training and re-skilling of the police have to be frequently undertaken in order for them to have an untainted credibility within society."
The Congress of the People Youth Movement said the incident was further cause for the demilitarisation of police.
"Police failed to properly investigate but rather opened [fire with] live ammunition on the musician's car without checking."
"This further surges up the call for the demilitarisation of police and extensive training to do proper investigations before opening fire on alleged criminals."
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