A case of confusion and mistaken identity led to a standoff between police and a man outside a block of flats on 7 April. On the surface it looked like an attempted hijacking but the causes of Tuesday’s incident runs much deeper.
A woman was arrested in the Johannesburg’s northern suburbs in connection with a fraud case opened at Jeppe police station. A vehicle registered in the woman’s name was tied to the case but claimed that she was not in possession of the vehicle. “There is a fraud case at Jeppe. There is a car involved and the lady said her boyfriend had the car,” explained Jeppe police spokesperson Captain Richard Munyayi.
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Members of Jeppe police then acted on information divulged by the woman which led them to Eric Street, Newlands. Police approached the man who subsequently resisted arrest and in the chaos injured his alleged girlfriend. Before police could effectively carry out the arrest, the man turned his firearm on himself, only to inflict a non-fatal injury.
As of Thursday, 9 April, the man was still in hospital having only been critically injured by the self inflicted gunshot. Sophiatown police spokesperson Captain TJ De Bryun confirmed that a case had been opened relating to the incident and that it is currently under investigation.
