South African shot by US cops
Questions surround fatal police shooting of former Durban rugby player in Honolulu
EFFORTS to repatriate the body of Lindani Myeni, who was shot and killed by officers in Hawaii, on Wednesday night, are underway.
A Gofundme account – with a target of more than R1 million to take care of the body’s transportation to Myeni’s hometown, Esikhaleni, near Richards Bay, funeral costs and possible legal fees – was created on Friday.
Myeni, 29, a mechanical engineer and ex-pro rugby player who had a green card interview scheduled for next week, was living on the island of Oahu with his American wife, Lindsay, and their two young children.
On the night of his killing his wife said he had left their home and had gone for a drive to clear his head. About 20 minutes later she contacted him and he told her he was on his way home.
Police, however, say that Myeni, exhibiting strange behaviour, entered a home in the Nuuanu area. He apparently sat down, took off his shoes and struck up a conversation with the homeowners, who asked him to leave. Myeni then went to sit in his vehicle, they said.
During a press conference on Thursday, Honolulu police chief Susan Ballard said three officers had been dispatched to a robbery in progress and when they arrived, Myeni was pointed out as the suspect.
When police arrived, Myeni allegedly got out of his vehicle and charged at police officers.
“Officer one ordered the suspect to get on the ground. The suspect turned and charged toward the officer, punching him several times.
“Officer two tried to get the suspect off of officer one and when officer three arrived and pulled out his taser, it was ineffective.
“The suspect charged at officer three and punched him before running and charging at officer one again. Officer one then fired a single round, but the suspect continued and tackled the officer, strangling him and punching him again. Officer two then fired three rounds at the suspect,” Ballard said.
She said the officers administered first aid before Myeni was taken to hospital and that all three officers were treated for multiple injuries, with one being admitted to hospital.
Yesterday, police released a video from the body camera of one of the officers. A woman in tears is seen pointing out Myeni while he sits in his car, before he gets out and walks toward the officers. A scuffle ensues and the first shot is fired, followed by screaming, then three more shots.
Before leaving South Africa, Myeni played lock or flank for the Jaguars, a Durban rugby club he joined after high school.
Onwhinne Hindley, vice-chairperson of the Jaguars, said the club was devastated.
“They say rugby is a hooligan’s game played by gentlemen and Lindani epitomised the saying. He was a great guy and extremely respectful. We are a family and the club is in mourning. This is the sixth member to die since the onset of Covid-19,” he said.
Hindley said they learned in the early hours of the morning that Myeni was killed.
“There was a message in the club group and we didn't want to believe it and I just keep watching the news, surfing between the channels, but between 6-7am it was all confirmed.
“We are all suspicious and angry about how he died. Why did they move to kill him instead of arrest and question? Was it because he was black? ”
Nkululeko Ngubane, KZN EFF spokesperson and neighbour of the Myenis, expressed his frustration at the increasing deaths of black people at the hands of white police in the US.
He said that it was infuriating to note that the US continued with applying covert racism on black people by continuously stereotyping them as possessing criminal elements.
“While there have since been many versions to the story, we are also aware that while Myeni might not have had a criminal record, he had been arrested more than three times which we know was done on the basis of his skin colour,” said Ngubane.
“We call upon the Department of Internal Relations to intervene by making sure that justice prevails as many South Africans continue to die at the hands of white extremists,” Ngubane said.
In a social media post, Lindsay expressed her grief for her late husband, praising him for having been a good father, who loved his family.
“What do I tell my babies when they cry for him?
“He has my heart. I will never find a perfect love like him. He was indescribable.
“He’d grown into a noble man. Righteous but not self-righteous. Loving and wise.
“He was too good for this broken world. He was born at Queen Nandi hospital and passed at Queen Emma’s hospital.
“We need justice. Why are three trained officers afraid of one unarmed man? They just left me as a widow at 29 with two babies in diapers,” she wrote.
The Myeni family were still looking to appoint a spokesperson and therefore could not comment.