Langelihle Chagwe

Langelihle Chagwe

For the past 13 years a Soweto father of two has been battling to see justice done after he was shot and crippled in what he believes was a racially-motivated attack in Vereeniging.

Bhekumuzi Kubheka, 49, of White City Jabavu, said his troubles started in 1994 when he was walking past a house in the Sonland Park area, Vereeniging, on his way to work.

Kubheka said a white man shouted at him, called him a kaffir and told him not to go past his house otherwise he would shoot him.

"When I looked at him he was holding a gun. Then I heard a gunshot. I fell and realised that I had been shot."

Kubheka said that after 15 minutes he saw a police van entering the man's yard.

"Then two policemen came to me together with the man who shot me. One of the policemen said to the man: "You should have shot him in the head for him to die'."

Kubheka said the policeman also yelled at the man who had shot him, saying he was tired of him shooting passers-by.

"The policeman told the man not to worry because he would make a plan. They called an ambulance which took me to hospital.

"While I was in the hospital two policemen came in full uniform and advised me not to open a case. They offered me R10000. I refused the offer and they left."

Kubheka said he spent 19 days in hospital under police guard. He could not understand this because he was the victim.

He reported the matter to the Vereeniging police station.

"Two years after he shot me the man laid a charge against me, accusing me of stealing his car. I received a summons to appear in court."

Kubheka said that in January this year police informed him that his case against the man who shot him had been withdrawn.

But National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Tlali Tlali said an investigation into why the case had been withdrawn was under way.