The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) is investigating the death of a 37-year-old Eldorado Park man who was shot dead, allegedly by police, on Sunday.

Oswald Pretorius died after he was shot in Boundary Road in Eldorado Park at about 5.30pm, allegedly by the police tactical response team (TRT) popularly known as Amabherethe.    

Ipid spokesperson Robbie Raburabu told TimesLIVE it was alleged the police had received a complaint of intimidation and pointing of a firearm from a community member against Pretorius.  

“When the police arrived at the scene, the suspect had already left and the complainant took the police to the place where they found the suspect, who upon seeing the police, allegedly took out his firearm and started shooting at the police who retaliated, fatally shooting the alleged suspect,” Raburabu said.

Speaking to TimesLIVE, Oswald’s aunt Charis Pretorius said the family was given accounts of the shooting by his nephew’s friends that were contrary to what was reported to Ipid.

“The people who were with him told us they were just chilling in the afternoon. When he [Oswald] saw SAPS approaching with their guns drawn, he got up and ran and they opened fire on him. He stopped and went down on his knees and lifted his hands and surrendered, but they still shot and killed him,” Charis alleged.

Charis said at the time the police approached Oswald he had a gun with him.   

“Last year, Oswald was a victim of another shooting where his friend Alwin Harris was killed and he sustained wounds. He believed his life was under threat, so he carried a gun with him. He also received threats from police as the person who was taken into custody for Harris’s murder wrongfully implicated him,” she said.

Charis said her family was in pain after Oswald’s death, adding they believed his shooting was a case of police brutality.  

“On Tuesday night I spoke to the undertaker and I was told Oswald was shot multiple times and sustained about seven [to] 10 bullet wounds. He was shot in his back as well as the chest and one of the shots from the back pierced through his chest.”

She described Oswald as a loving father to his children, a people’s person and a regular at Sunday church services.

“His children do not understand that he is not coming back, his parents and the entire family is struggling. Oswald. It is hard to comprehend that he is no more.”

On Monday a protest was held in Eldorado Park after the shooting. 

Patriotic Alliance councillor Peter Rafferty told TimesLIVE tensions between police and residents started after community members went to the police station to demand answers about the circumstances of the shooting. This as police in the area are in court for shooting teenager Natheniël Julies.

TimesLIVE