How residents attacked me for highlighting their plight

KYA SAND – 'I could only see my death coming to me in the middle of nowhere.'

Residents collect water from the river to extinguish the fire but then some of them started to attack a journalist.

When I went to Msawawa Informal Settlement on the afternoon of 11 November, I was ready to tell the story of those dwellers that were in dire pain, as the blazing fire was destroying their shacks.

I saw those residents desperately trying to save their belongings.

It was in fact a riot and I could see desperation and anger in their eyes as they grabbed anything that they could save.

As journalists, we were standing on the other section of the settlement taking pictures and videos.

I then realised that besides those four fire trucks from Joburg EMS extinguishing fire on the other section, the residents were also collecting water from the river to extinguish the fire.

They queued in a chain format with plenty of buckets collecting water from the river. While I stood there, frantically taking pictures and videos and at first, one resident started attacking me.

He shouted in isiZulu language.

“Wenzani, ucabanga ukuthi ungubani wena? Wenzani?” loosely translated as “What are you doing, who do you think you are, what are you doing,” he asked.

It is then that I realised I was in danger, but my motive to go to the other side of the section was not to compromise my safety, but to tell a unique story that other journalists were not capturing but instead, I turned out to be the story.

I could see death flashing before my eyes, as those residents, probably 20 or more, approached me and circled around me as they were pushing and shoving me to the ground.

They grabbed my tablet, others checked my pockets while others wrestled to pull the camera away from me.

I struggled and pushed my way through, looking for safety while holding on to my equipment.

I ran for my life but they chased me, throwing stones at me. I just had to protect myself and my equipment.

If it was not for the caring JMPD officers, who came to my rescue, I could have died yesterday.

Some of the people did not even know what had transpired, but insisted and shouted that I should be killed.

It was then that Douglasdale Police escorted me to my car and advised me to leave as they feared for my life.

According to Ward 96 Councillor Matome Mafokwane, some of the journalists also told him that they were assaulted by infuriated residents.

My responsibility as journalist is to inform and educate the public, but yesterday, I became a story to be told.

Details: Ward 96 Councillor Matome Mafokwane, 084 854 4950.