Rubber bullet tragedy: Manenberg woman in hospital after police shooting
Cape Town - A Manenberg resident has lodged an attempted murder complaint against SAPS after his wife was shot, allegedly with a rubber bullet in her head.
The incident on September 17 in Manenberg Avenue, sent Latiefa Freeman, 57, to hospital. Her husband of 40 years, Abduragmaan Freeman, 57, said he decided to speak out about the day, because police have still not approached him to say sorry for what happened.
“That day she was on her way to her sister to help her, that's just her nature, she is a very helpful person.
“Then the gangsters started throwing stones and the next minute the police pulled up and fired rubber bullets. Our grandchildren, who were with her, said they heard the loud bangs and saw how their grandma fell to the ground. The community ran towards her and stopped a taxi to take her to the hospital.”
He said his wife was in a coma for a week and is still in hospital recovering.
“The doctors say she won’t be the same again. They said the rubber bullet damaged the left side of her brain.
“And that is what makes me so sad, because my wife was never a sickly person. For 40 years she was the one who helped everyone and looked after me.”
He said his life has since been turned upside down. “To this day not one police officer has come to my door. I was going to leave it because sometimes things are out of our control, but the least they could have done was come and knock on my door and say they made a mistake.”
Human rights, activist Zona Morton, who has been helping the family, said she was informed about the case and noted that all Abduragmaan Freeman wanted was to be treated with dignity and respect
Police spokesperson, FC van Wyk, confirmed the case is being investigated by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za
Cape Argus