R200,000 raised towards repatriation and funeral costs for Lindani Myeni

More than R200,000 has been raised in a crowdfunding initiative launched to repatriate the remains of Lindani Myeni, the former rugby player from KwaZulu-Natal who was shot dead by Honolulu police in Hawaii last week.

“We are fundraising to cover his transportation back home to SA, funeral costs and legal fees involved in the family’s plight to uncover the circumstances surrounding his death,” wrote Myeni’s friend, Seabelo Silitsheni. 

The initiative aims to raise R1m towards the costs. 

Myeni was shot dead last week when police officers responded to a “burglary in progress” at a home in Nuuanu. According to a Facebook post from his wife Lindsay Myeni, her husband had gone for a drive to clear his mind. 

Video footage from a body camera worn by one of the police officers shows Myeni’s last moments.

“Where you at?” asks the officer, while a woman shouts, “That’s him, that’s him. He’s still in the car.”

The officer points the gun towards the car occupied by Myeni as the woman continues to scream, “That’s him, that’s him.”

The officer can be heard ordering Myeni to get on the ground. A scuffle breaks out between him and another officer and Myeni can be seen punching the officer. The officer with a gun fires several shots during the fight and one can be heard shouting “police”.

“I will have your back forever, Mnguni. I’m proud of every bit of the man you are. I will take your body back as soon as I can and we can mourn with the family. I’ll see you in heaven beb,” Lindsay wrote on Facebook on Monday. 

In a separate post, Lindsay said she has demanded the release of all body camera and ring camera footage from the house where Myeni was shot.

“SA will not let this go. You killed their prince. May you never assume another black man is a criminal and murder him on the way home again,” she wrote. 

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