“We saw a picture on social media showing him lying in a pool of blood at a street corner.”
This is how the Stutterheim family of Xolisa Tom, 27, found out that he was shot, allegedly by police, during riots in the town last Tuesday.
Tom died in hospital.
The family is adamant that live ammunition was used and that Tom was neither a protester nor a rioter.
The Independent Police Investigating Directorate (Ipid) has opened a murder docket.
Last Wednesday, Ipid spokesperson Moses Dlamini said King William’s Town cluster commander Brigadier Luntu Ngubelanga reported that police shot in the direction of protesters after they were pelted with stones.
Eastern Cape police are not commenting, saying the matter is now in the hands of Ipid.
Tom’s aunt Nontando Kostile and best friend Aviwe Jacob insist he was not part of the protest that turned into a clash with police.
Three Amahlathi municipal buildings, one Amathole district municipal satellite office and a clinic were torched by the protesters earlier that day.
The chaos sent Amahlathi mayor Phatheka Qaba, municipal manager Sikhulu Nqwena, speaker Nokuzola Mlahleki and public servants fleeing.
Kostile claimed Tom bled for two hours before help came.
“We received an official report that Xolisa was shot two hours earlier. He was admitted to hospital at 3pm.”
Jacob said Tom fell back onto him after taking two bullets in his forehead in Long Street.
“We went to the police station because we were hoping to meet the investigating officer in a case we are witnesses in to get a court date.”
Jacob said after waiting for hours for the officer, they became hungry and decided to walk back home for lunch.
“We saw the protest at Maclean and Hill streets, with police shooting at protesters.”
Jacob said protesters running from the police suddenly appeared behind them and they felt forced to make a run for it into Murray Street.
Kostile said: “It is painful. We want Xolisa’s killer arrested. We know police used live ammunition on a crowd.”..