SA police arrest 20 at protest over hijacking victim’s death

COMMUNITY leaders in Chatsworth, south of Durban, have lambasted police for breaking up a seemingly peaceful protest, held after the death of 9-year-old hijacking victim Sadia Sukhraj.

The community came out in their numbers yesterday night after Sadia was killed in a botched hijacking at her home in Shallcross.

Her father, well-known pastor Shailendra Sukhraj, was with her when the incident happened and was alleged to have shot at the hijackers as they drove off with his daughter. They crashed into a truck shortly thereafter.

Police have arrested one suspect, a second was killed and a third is at large. At least 20 people were arrested during Monday night’s protest.

Bayview Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Brandon Pillay said he was “disturbed and disappointed at the reaction of the police”.

“These were community [members who] were quite emotional after the death of this child. They decided to come there in an act of solidarity to her. They were saying that those responsible should be brought to justice. Instead of listening to an emotional and broken community, [police] tried to break them even more.”

Pillay added that the police action could have resulted in more fatalities.

“There were thousands of people running around to get away from the violence. When you do these things, people fall, things happen. There could have been serious injuries or even more fatalities.”

Pillay questioned who had initiated the response from the police. “My concern [is] who instructed this kind of action. There was no threat on any lives – no violence, no need for this. It was not an unruly or threatening crowd. They were in solidarity, saying ‘no’ to the death of an innocent [child].”

However, he warned the community to remain calm. — Sapa