Bucs Won’t Comment On Alleged Shooting Incident, SAPS Confirm

Orlando Pirates have remained silent on reports linking their midfielder with an alleged shooting incident, while the South African Police Service(SAPS)  have confirmed the incident.

Read – Bucs Signing: I Always Wanted To Play For Chiefs But After I Turned Professional ...

Unverified reports in local media emerged indicating that Pirates midfielder Thamsanqa Sangweni was allegedly involved in a shooting incident, which resulted in him being arrested by the SAPS.

It has been alleged that the incident took place last week Sunday in a shopping centre in Johannesburg. According to reports, the 29-year-old allegedly shot several shots with a firearm before being apprehended by security guards at the shopping centre.

The Empangeni-born player, who has struggled for game-time in his first season with Bucs, was later handed over to the police, according to reports.

Contacted for comment, Pirates’ administrator Floyd Mbele said he was unaware of any incident of that nature as he is currently out of the country. “I’m not in the country, so I don’t know what you are talking about,” Mbele told the Siya crew.

The Siya crew contacted the South African Police Service through Sandton police spokesman, Granville Meyer, who confirmed the player’s arrest, as well as his release on R1000 bail.  

“I can confirm that a case of discharging a firearm in a municipal (area) was opened against the suspect. He was arrested on Monday, 28 May 2018 and released on police bail of R1000-00,” confirmed Meyer.

“It is alleged that security officials contacted the police after they caught a suspect that was shooting at a shopping centre in Sunninghill. On arrival, the suspect was pointed out by the security officials and was arrested and his firearm was confiscated. The date of his court appearance is unknown,” concluded Meyer. 

Several attempts have been made to get a comment from Sangweni, but the midfielder hasn't answered any of the calls and had not returned any of them at the time of publishing.   

Read: Chippa Add New Midfielder To Their Roster

In 2013, the central midfielder’s brother Mandla Sangweni, who is a former AmaZulu goalkeeper, was arrested for allegedly shooting his uncle Vusumuzi Sangweni, who was 66 years old at the time.