Killing of Nathaniel Julies

Incident

According to Gauteng premier David Makhura, the initial account was that Nathaniel Julies died in crossfire between police and gang members. His family, however, says he was buying biscuits at a local shop when the shooting started. Officers allegedly involved claimed Julies was shot because he did not answer police questions. Media reports indicate he died before reaching the hospital.

A relative, who was not named, told the press that after buying two packs of biscuits, Julies joined other children near the Hillbrow flats, where police first approached him. His father said officers tried to question Julies but could not understand him, so they moved on to question someone else. After finishing that search, Sergeant Simon 'Scorpion' Ndyalvane stepped out of a vehicle and shot Julies at close range with a pump-action shotgun. The blast threw Julies' body under a truck.

Police later pulled his body out from under the vehicle and took it away. Witnesses said there were no gang members in the area.

Aftermath

The death of Nathaniel Julies brought long-standing frustrations with the Eldorado Park police station to the surface. Violent protests followed, leaving two South African Police Service (SAPS) officers and one municipal police officer hurt, as community members threatened to set the station on fire. More than 120,000 people signed a petition demanding that those responsible be prosecuted. Police Minister Bheki Cele described the officers' actions as "uncalled for."

American singer Solange Knowles helped spread the story beyond South Africa by tweeting about Julies alongside Oluwatoyin Salau and Breonna Taylor. Residents of Eldorado Park accused the Economic Freedom Fighters party of exploiting the tragedy and showing disrespect during the funeral procession. Julies was the second child killed by police in South Africa in August 2020. Investigative group Viewfinder reported that between April 2012 and March 2018, thirty-nine children died in SAPS custody or due to police action, with very few officers ever facing consequences.