Woman falls to her death fleeing from 'violent' Durban protesters
25 March 2019
A woman has died and two others seriously injured after falling from the roof of a mall in Inanda Road, Springfield Park, outside Durban, whilst running away from violent protesters.
According to Garrith Jamieson, operations director at Rescue Care, the woman, presumed to be in her 40s, fell three metres, after stepping through a perspex part of the roof on Monday morning.
Jamieson said the woman sustained serious injuries and was declared deceased on the scene.
"Two other gentlemen who were also running on the roof fell and sustained serious injuries. They were escorted by SAPS to an area where a patient had fallen from the roof. They were then stabilised by Rescue Care paramedics before being transported to a nearby hospital for the further care that they required.
"The situation is extremely volatile around the area as there are a lot of protests happening. Metro police and South African Police Service officers are in attendance and attending to the matter," said Jamieson.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thulani Zwane said the situation in the area is volatile and dangerous as residents are protesting.
Zwane said protests began on Sunday night, though it's still unclear why the residents are angry.
He confirmed that they have received reports about the woman falling to her death and have opened an inquest docket.
"We don't have more information as to why the woman was on the roof. But we have been informed that she and others were fleeing from violent protesters and we are establishing if that is true.
"Since the protests began on Sunday night, many shops and businesses were looted and some vandalised and set alight. There are other unconfirmed reports that two people were shot at with live ammunition by shop owners as the mob were looting shops. One of the two people was declared dead and another taken to hospital.
"For now we are also establishing if the two were shot at by shop owners. The situation remains violent and dangerous and our members are on the scene to ensure that calm is restored," said Zwane.
