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Photo: Twitter / David Thembe

JMPD probed by Ipid for possible involvement in death of Joburg motorist

Selahle’s family believes that JMPD officers know what really happened to the 35-year-old.

jmpd johannesburg crime stats

Photo: Twitter / David Thembe

The suspicious death of a Joburg motorist has prompted the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) to launch an internal probe into the conduct of the JMPD officers that are involved in the matter.

What happened to Tshegofatso Selahle?

According to a statement released by the JMPD, Tshegofatso Selahle was pursued by officers, between Saturday night and the early hours of Sunday morning, after he had run a red light on William Nicol and Sandton Drive, Johannesburg.

Officers say a car chase ensued after Selahle allegedly failed to stop his Audi A5, which was running off at high speeds.

“The driver of the Audi collided with a curb and the vehicle landed in a park. The driver was aggressive and resisted arrest because he was under the influence of alcohol.

The JMPD further alleged that containing Selahle was difficult as he was erratic. So, officers called for backup to assist in restraining and cuffing him.

“He was put inside a JMPD van, and the alleged suspect informed officers that he was struggling to breathe. When the ambulance arrived and upon assessment, they found out that he had collapsed,” the statement read.

Selahle died soon afterwards, leaving behind a string of questions about the officers’ possible involvement.

What is the cause of Selahle’s death?

His family have rubbished the JMPD’s version of events. They believe that something more sinister happened to Selahle and that it is the duty of Ipid to expose what really caused the 35-year-old’s death.

JMPD spokesperson, Wayne Minaar has issued a statement on the matter. In it, he confirmed that Ipid was doing everything in their power to get to the bottom of this.

The key aspect of the internal probe, he said, was to determine whether proper protocol was followed in restraining Selahle when he eventually came to a halt.

While it is still too early to speculate, Minaar did not rule out the possibility that pepper spray may have been used to restrain the 35-year-old, which could be attributed to his passing.

An autopsy has yet to be released and Selahle’s family, and Ipid, will look to it for forensic answers to what exactly happened to Selahle.