Was it murder or self-defence? This is what the police now have to determine through their investigation into a fatal shooting incident involving two female police constables in Makhado (Louis Trichardt) last Wednesday afternoon.

The 33-year-old Mr Justice Mulaudzi died instantly when he was shot in the head, following an altercation with the two constables near the railway crossing in Grobler Street.

Immediately following the incident, Makhado police spokesperson Capt Maano Sadike confirmed that the police had opened an inquest docket regarding the fatal shooting. It would, however, now seem that there could be more to the rumours that Mulaudzi’s shooting was unjustified, after it was confirmed by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IDIP) on Tuesday that the police are no longer conducting an inquest but possibly investigating a case of  murder.   

Mulaudzi had run-ins with the law on several previous occasions. Over a period of six years, he went by five different aliases, even spending time behind bars under one of his aliases. From 2006 until 2009, he was convicted five times on theft charges. His latest convictions were in 2011 and 2012, when he was found guilty of housebreaking and trespassing respectively. At the time of his death, he was standing trial on yet another housebreaking charge.

According to the police, the two female constables were on routine patrol when they spotted Mulaudzi and noticed that he seemed to be under the influence of alcohol. They stopped and tried to question him about it. Mulaudzi allegedly refused to be questioned and, when ordered into the back of the patrol vehicle, he lost his temper and became aggressive. He then allegedly snatched one of the constables' service pistol and threatened to shoot them with it.

Sadike said the constables immediately retaliated and tackled Mulaudzi to try and regain control of the weapon. In the process, two shots went off, hitting Mulaudzi in the head and killing him instantly. Neither of the police constables was injured.

On the other hand, rumour has it that Mulaudzi was shot without provocation. Some allege that Mulaudzi was walking with a friend when the constables pulled up alongside of them. One of the constables then apparently got out of the vehicle, cocked her service pistol, hit Mulaudzi over the head and then ordered him to get into the back of the police vehicle. When he refused to do so, he was apparently shot.

Both police constables’ service pistols were taken and handed in for ballistic testing to determine who had fired the fatal shot. Sadike also confirmed on Tuesday that both constables are still on active duty.

In the meantime, the outcome of Mulaudzi’s post mortem is awaited.

“Based on the outcome of the post mortem, we will take further action,” said IPID spokesperson Mr Moses Dlamini. The IPID is a watchdog organisation for the SAPS.

Also Read:

05 April 2013 - Still awaiting decision on Mulaudzi's death

17 May 2013 - Police constable charged with murder