mbulelo smpofu
Raymond Jaravaza, raymondjaravaza@gmail.com
A 26-year-old Bulawayo woman was left shaken and injured after being struck by a stray bullet as police detectives engaged in a high-speed chase with suspected armed robbers on Tuesday afternoon.
Ms Fikile Matshaza had been shopping for exercise books for her son and was on her way to a commuter omnibus rank when a stray bullet struck her at the intersection of Fort Street and 12th Avenue.
After receiving medical treatment at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), Ms Matshaza is now recuperating at home, grateful to have escaped more severe harm.
Recounting her ordeal from her mother’s house in Emganwini suburb, Ms Matshaza revealed that she initially didn’t realise she had been shot.
“As I approached the traffic lights, I noticed a white Toyota Fortuner speeding towards TM Pick n Pay Hyper. Suddenly, I felt warm blood streaming down my thigh,” she said.
“At first, I thought my menstrual cycle had started, but a nurse rushed to me and told me I’d been shot, and instructed me to lie down. She used jackets from bystanders to tie my thigh to stop the bleeding.”
Coincidentally, Ms Matshaza is a nurse aide currently on attachment at a local school for children with disabilities.
She was rushed to UBH in an ambulance, which arrived 20 minutes after the shooting.
“The doctors said the bullet pierced through the flesh but thankfully missed the bone,” she added.
Her mother, Ms Sakhile Ncube, expressed gratitude to the police for assisting with her daughter’s medical bills.
National police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, confirmed the incident and extended their apologies to Ms Matshaza.
“The ZRP would like to express its apologies to the victim of a shooting incident that occurred in Bulawayo,” he said.
Comm Nyathi said police were tracking down suspects, who were driving a Nissan Tiida, and linked to over six armed robberies in and around Bulawayo, targeting businesses holding large sums of cash.
“The armed robbers were involved in over six armed robbery cases in and around Bulawayo targeting businesses holding large sums of cash. In one case, they stole US$22 000 and in another, US$6 000,” he said.
Comm Nyathi explained that the suspects endangered lives by driving through red traffic lights in a desperate attempt to evade arrest.
“While police officers are guided by the laws of the country and prioritise preserving human life, they must also respond appropriately to dangerous situations, especially when armed suspects are shooting at them or recklessly endangering other motorists,” he said.
The police are actively pursuing the suspects, and investigations are ongoing.
“We can’t expect police officers to fold their hands when armed suspects are shooting at them. We also can’t expect police officers to fold their hands when armed suspects are driving through red robots and endangering the lives of other motorists,” he said.
