RATANDA – The Independent Police Investigative Directorate is investigating the deaths of two people during a service delivery protest in Ratanda, Gauteng.
Violent clashes erupted over prolonged water shortages in the area.
IPID spokesperson Lizzy Shuping said IPID is probing whether the deaths resulted from police action.
"The Ratanda matter was reported to IPID yesterday, 2 July 2026 and we have begun with our preliminary investigations, where we are looking at the alleged deaths due to police action.
“We have also been informed that the second person who was in hospital has succumbed to their injuries and we now need to allow the investigation process to take its course."
All the community wanted was water, but residents in Ratanda said they're being met with rubber bullets for speaking out.
They said taps have been dry for days, making it unbearable for children and the elderly.
One resident said: “This issue of water has affected us for so long; it has affected us so badly in such a way. You're good, you've got toilets inside the house, we need to flush those toilets, but we can't.
“We've got kids, now they are sick because we are using water that we don't know where they are coming from. Is it safe or not? We don't know."
Another said: “It's affecting all of us. Our homes smell because we can't flush our toilets. We don't have water to do our laundry, so our children are going to school in dirty uniforms. Our elderly residents can't take their medication properly because there's no clean water. When we come here to ask for water, we're met with rubber bullets. Some people have been injured, and as we speak, some are in hospital receiving treatment."