A public order police unit officer who was out on patrol with colleagues, including the four accused of killing Mthokozisi Ntumba, has told the high court that when they arrived in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, they tried to talk to protesting students who picked up rocks and pointed at the men in blue.

Const Dumisani Mashamba is on the stand in the Ntumba murder trial in Johannesburg.

He told the court that on March 10 2021, they chased after the students in the police nyala.

Mashamba is attached to the public order policing unit in Diepkloof, Soweto, and has been a police officer for five years. He said he and the accused — Tshepiso Kekana, 27, Cidraas Motseothatha, 43, Madimetja Legodi, 37, and Victor Mohammed, 51, — were deployed to the area in the morning.

“We proceeded to Braamfontein and found that the roads had been blocked with burning tyres and rocks. Lt-Col [Busisiwe] Moeketsi [one of the commanders in charge on the day] instructed us to move towards the crowd of the students and talk to them to find out what their issue is,” said Mashamba.

“Myself, Moeketsi and Kekana [accused no.1] went to the students and Legodi [accused no.3] was standing further back from us taking pictures and a video. When we got to the students, Col Moeketsi asked to speak to the student leader of the crowd.

“She spoke with the students and I cannot remember what she said to them. As she was speaking to them, some students started picking up stones and gesturing as if they wanted to throw them at us. Moeketsi instructed accused no. 1 to throw a stun grenade and also instructed us to fire shots at the students,” said Mashamba.

He said they did as they were instructed and the students dispersed and ran in different directions.

Mashamba said no student was injured from this particular shooting. He said moments later, a nyala arrived with the accused inside.

“I was on a certain street. I cannot recall the name. I was standing there guarding other police vehicles. A nyala arrived and accused no.3 was driving it. The other accused were inside as well. The nyala went after the students where they were running to and after some time the nyala returned,” said Mashamba.

He said the officers returned with a few students who they had arrested and they took them to Hillbrow police station. While they were still in the area patrolling, Mashamba said Legodi received a phone call from Moeketsi.

“She asked him if he is aware of a shooting that took place where someone had died. Legodi responded and said he does not know anything about the shooting. Legodi told us as well about the conversation he just had on the phone with Moeketsi,” said Mashamba.

Mashamba said later that day, Col Jacob Beeslaar told all officers on duty that day to take their firearms to Hillbrow police station for ballistic testing.

The officers face charges of murder and three counts of attempted murder and have pleaded not guilty.  

Mashamba is under cross-examination as the trial continues.