KwaZulu-Natal police are investigating the death of 38-year-old Celani Zungu, who died after being struck by an eThekwini Municipality water tanker in Adams Mission, south of Durban, on Sunday, 2 August. A case of culpable homicide has been opened following the incident, which reportedly occurred during a confrontation involving residents and the tanker driver.
According to reports, residents approached the tanker after believing it had arrived to supply water to the wider community, which has been affected by ongoing water shortages. However, the tanker was allegedly delivering water to a single household, leading to frustration among residents. Zungu’s brother, Sakhile, told eNCA that the driver reversed before moving forward and striking his brother during the confrontation.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed that investigators had interviewed the driver and obtained his statement. “As things stand, we don’t have anything to arrest him for,” Netshiunda told eNCA, adding that police would act should further evidence emerge that warrants an arrest. The circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.
The eThekwini Municipality confirmed that the tanker belongs to the city and said it is cooperating with the police investigation while conducting its own internal processes. Mayor Cyril Xaba visited Zungu’s family and appealed for calm, urging the community to allow SAPS to conduct a thorough investigation. The municipality and Zungu’s family have also appealed to the public not to continue circulating graphic footage of the incident.