Police have started looking into the shooting involving Nando’s staff, which left a Dunoon woman dead and another injured, last year.
This comes after the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) concluded their investigation of the case and made recommendations that police officers involved in the shooting face disciplinary action.
Last year February, Phumeza Fudumele was gunned down by police after she finished her shift at Nando’s in Parklands (“Young mother killed by cops”, Tabletalk, March 2, 2016).
Ms Fudumele, a 23-year-old single mother, was on her way home with the staff transport when police opened fire on the vehicle. She was shot dead and one of her colleagues was wounded.
Ipid investigated cases of murder and attempted murder. At the time, Ipid spokesperson Robbie Raburabu said the police had alleged there was an ATM bombing in the Dunoon area and the vehicle, a Toyota Avanza, used in the bombing matched the one the Nando’s staff were being transported in.
“They tried to stop it because it matched their description. They opened fire on the vehicle,” said Mr Raburabu.
Now more than a year later, Ipid spokesperson Moses Dlamini says the investigation is complete.
“However further technical ballistic queries were forwarded to Ipid to be attended by the ballistic experts. The aforesaid technical ballistic investigations are required by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and have not yet been finalised. There are continuous engagements between ourselves, ballistic experts and DPP’s office in an endeavour to finalise the investigation,” said Mr Dlamini.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk confirmed SAPS had received Ipid’s recommendations pertaining to the case. “Upon receipt of the Ipid recommendations, a process was initiated internally and it is currently under way,” said Captain Van Wyk.
Nando’s South Africa CEO Mike Cathie said: “We welcome this initiative from the SAPS and look forward to a resolution.”
The company’s CEO for Nando’s Africa, Geoff Whyte, added: “We hope that this will bring a measure of long overdue closure to Phumeza’s family and our other affected staff members and continue to work with our lawyers on this issue.” But there was little consolation for Ms Fudumele’s mother, Thozama Fudumele, who said: “Losing a child is the worst thing that can happen to a parent. I don’t feel good at all.”