- President Cyril Ramaphosa has offered his condolences to the family of 16-year-old Nateniël Julies.
- Nateniël, who had Down Syndrome, was allegedly shot by police in Eldorado Park on Wednesday.
- IPID investigators struggled to access the scene as the situation has been volatile.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has offered his sincere condolences to the family of 16-year-old Nateniël Julies who was allegedly shot by a police officer in Eldorado Park on Wednesday night.
"My thoughts and prayers are with the family and neighbours of Nateniël who has, as a 16-year-old, been deprived of a future and whose tragic death has given rise to anger and unrest in a community that deserves better," the president said in a statement on Friday.
Nateniël, who had Down Syndrome, was allegedly shot on Wednesday while he was at his home. His death sparked anger within the Eldorado community which led to them throwing stones and petrol bombs at the police officers.
READ | Eldorado Park residents protest, vent anger at police after boy is killed
Ramaphosa said the violent death of any young person was concerning.
The president said that while communities had a right to express dissent; anger should not spill over into action that could worsen the trauma already experienced by citizens.
"Justice can only prevail if community workers work with our criminal justice system to address alleged injustice or abuse," he said.
On Wednesday, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) spokesperson Ndileka Cola confirmed they were investigating the shooting.
"The IPID investigators struggled to access the scene as the situation has been volatile, when they ultimately managed to access it, it was almost impossible to conduct interviews as the community was violent," said Cola.
However, she said that further investigation which includes acquiring further information from the police, eye witnesses, ballistics, and a post-mortem was yet to be conducted.
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