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Zain Schroeder, 23, was spinning with a friend when police officers caught up with him near the Ennerdale Spar, south of Joburg, and opened fire.
Speaking on behalf of her son, who was discharged from hospital yesterday, Zain’s mother Marlene said the police had shot at Zain’s car.
One bullet tore the back tyre and another entered the radiator.
“My son began to panic and accelerated at high speed down the main road, heading for the (Kroonvaal) tollgate as gunshots were going off and he feared for his life. He didn’t know why they were shooting at him,” Marlene said.
When the two reached the tollgate, they got out of the car and ran away. While they were running, a bullet struck Zain in the back of his right thigh, she said.
“The cop who shot him came towards him, slammed the butt of the rifle in his face and swore at him.
“Both my son and his friend were thrown into the police van and were driven to the Lawley fire station, where they bandaged the wound,” she said.
From the fire station, the two were taken to the Ennerdale police station. While still inside the van, Zain called his family and told them of the incident. His father went to the tollgate where the shooting had taken place, and other members of the family went to the police station.
At the station, Marlene said Zain’s wound continued to bleed through the bandage, and an ambulance arrived three hours later to transport him to Sebokeng Hospital, where he was admitted under guard.
Zain’s friend, who was beaten up and pepper-sprayed while in the holding cell, was later released because he was “just the passenger”.
Zain was charged for being in possession of a firearm. The family have dismissed the charge as an attempt by the police to cover up their actions.
Marlene alleges the police planted a toy gun near the spot where Zain had abandoned the car. The police claim that Zain had pointed the toy gun at them while he was fleeing, and that’s why they opened fire.
“My husband, who was accompanied by a police officer, went to the scene to try and look for the car key and Zain’s personal belongings. There was no toy gun anywhere near that car,” she said.
At Sebokeng Hospital, Zain appeared not to be receiving the care he needed.
Marlene said her son had not eaten throughout his stay because the food is not halaal.
The family, with the help of a lawyer, eventually had Zain transferred to LenMed Clinic.
Gauteng’s Department of Health and Social Development spokesman, Simon Zwane, said
Zain’s operation had been delayed “as he was stable and out of danger”.
Zwane said patients were not allowed to eat during the waiting period.
The family have opened a complaint against the police with the Independent Complaints Directorate.
ICD spokesman Moses Dlamini confirmed that the ICD had received the complaint and were investigating.
Ennerdale’s police station commander, Colonel Sibongile Ndaba, said the station could not comment as its management were at a cluster meeting. – The Star
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Toy gun made us open fire, say cops