Tangeni Amupadhi
South Africa’s police watchdog is probing the handling of the slaying of six-month old Angelina Zwane on a Benoni plot this week. Advocate Neville Melville, the executive director of the Independent Complaints Directorate, has dispatched a team of two to investigate why the farmer involved in the shooting was not arrested immediately after the incident.
Farmer Nicholas Steyn allegedly shot at a group of children, killing Angelina and injuring her cousin, Francina Dlamini (11) who was carrying Angelina on her back.
Allegations of racism have been levelled against the police for their lenient treatment of Steyn. The Minister of Safety and Security, Sydney Mufamadi, called in the Independent Complaints Directorate after an outcry from the public and from political parties.
When President Nelson Mandela visited the family of the two children on Tuesday he asked detailed forensic questions about the incident and grilled the investigating officers about their work.
At the site where the children were shot, Mandela, at pains to explain that he did not want to prejudice the police’s investigation and the outcome of the case, asked where Steyn had been standing when he aimed at the children.
Inspector SJ Muller, a North Rand police representative, and Inspector Esron Ramaroka, who is investigating the case, pointed to the spot, about 70m away.
Mandela then asked details about the gun used. “A pistol, a 7,65mm,” replied Ramoroka.
“Did you find any spent cartridges?”
“No, Mr President.”
“Did you search his house?”
“We are going to do that, Mr President,” said the officer.
“You mean you didn’t search his house?” asked Mandela, and this was the third day after the incident. “How long have you been in the police force?”
Mandela asked why Steyn had not been arrested more promptly. The police officers fumbled, while Muller said murder and attempted murder dockets had been opened.
The police and directorate officers finally searched Steyn’s house on Wednesday – four days after Angelina was murdered. They found a rifle and a shotgun which have been sent for forensic tests.
Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Sharma Maharaj this week launched a separate probe to see if police erred in their handling of the case. Director Azwinndini Nengovhela, Maharaj’s representative, said: “It is the commissioner’s belief that the method of securing the alleged perpetrator to stand trial should have been an arrest.”
As political parties and individuals condemned the actions of trigger-happy white farmers, the African National Congress and South African Communist Party in Mafikeng accused police of meting out different treatment to suspects, based on their race.
“We condemn the fact that Nicholas Steyn, the alleged murderer, was allowed to roam free after handing himself over to the police,” said the Mafikeng ANC and SACP.
“We also call on the police and the Department of Justice to give equal treatment to victims regardless of race, and in terms of perpetrators that white perpetrators be treated with the same strictness as any other perpetrator.”
Eugene Opperman, the East Rand police’s representative, said it is unlikely racism underlay the handling of the Steyn shooting. “The interesting situation is that we’ve a black investigator on the case.”
Opperman said Ramoroka consulted with the police’s legal officers in deciding not to arrest Steyn. “We look at the situation on its own merits, and consider issues such as the Constitution, where it states that a person’s freedom is important to him,” he said.