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- Graphic images capturing a Polokwane city official driving a truck in an apparent fit of anger appeared on social media Wednesday.
- Additional images show the driver, Walter Madubanya, being shot by a police officer after crashing the truck into a wall.
- He damaged seven vehicles and ran over a municipal law enforcement officer who later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
Images surfaced Wednesday of a Polokwane municipal employee who allegedly ran over a co-worker on August 7 inside the Polokwane Township facility in Ladanna.
Seven vehicles were also damaged during his apparent fit of anger.
The motive for the incident has not yet been determined, but a statement from Polokwane police said that 36-year-old Walter Madubanya allegedly locked himself in a truck and began to “display violent behavior.”
“He was allegedly in possession of a dangerous weapon and threatened anyone who approached. When other employees tried to find out what was going on, he suddenly started jerking the truck, and in the process ran over a 55-year-old municipality. Police officer several times, seriously injuring him, “said Brigade spokesman Motlafela Mojapelo.
When the police arrived at the scene, they collided with seven vehicles parked at the scene, including two police vehicles. Then the vehicle was fired upon, the video clip shows.
“He wanted to kill people. The agents cannot sit around and do nothing, the intention was not to kill him. The agents were aimed at preventing him from doing what he was doing,” Mojapelo said.
Madubanya lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the side of a building and was reportedly injured.
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In additional footage from the incident, a police officer can be seen shooting at Madubanya after the truck stopped, but Polokwane police said he was not hit.
“Our official report indicated that the suspect was injured when he finally collided with the truck against the wall. They took him to the hospital and then released him. This means they did not shoot him,” Mojapelo said.
Rasie Smith, the 55-year-old coworker struck by Madubanya, was taken to hospital where he later died of his injuries.
Madubanya appeared before the Polokwane Magistrates Court on charges of murder and seven counts of intentional damage to property. He was denied bail and his case was postponed until September 16 for further investigation by the police.
The municipality’s spokesperson, Thipa Selala, said in a statement that they did not know what had triggered Madubanya or what happened in the run-up to the incident.
“The municipality has followed the internal human resources processes and issued a suspension pending the judicial result,” he added.
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