HOMii hands over lift shaft footage to police after Durban twins death sparks outrage
HOMii breaks silence as Durban demands justice for twins.
Image: Khaya Dlamini
HOMii Lifestyle has handed over internal CCTV footage of the lift shaft incident to the SAPS in response to mounting pressure from the public and the bereaved Dlamini family, whose kids fell four floors down on Dr Pixley Ka Seme in Durban on October 18.
The footage is now in the hands of the police as part of the ongoing criminal investigation. The eight-year-old twin siblings, Aphelele and Aphile Dlamini, were playing at the time of the incident, and Aphelele died at the scene, while his twin sister is in a critical condition in the hospital.
"Due to the sensitivity of the matter involving other children, we can now confirm that we have delivered the footage to the police," the company said on Tuesday.
On Monday, hundreds of demonstrators marched through the city centre, demanding that the full video be made public and calling for accountability from both HOMii and law enforcement.
The children's father, Khaya Dlamini and several other family members had accused HOMii of withholding the footage. He confirmed that the police have the footage. Police say there is footage, I can come anytime to see it," he said. "But they say there is no copy allowed. It will be watched and left there in the police station."
The children's aunt, Thuli Dlamini told IOL that she could not put into words how devastated the household is. "We need additional investigators to explain to us what is going on here. We are extremely hurt as a family, and we arrived to see a bloodbath where the children fell. We don't understand because everything has been removed," she said.
Dlamini added that the family no longer lives in the building due to fearing for their lives. "We no longer stay at HOMii because we are no longer safe, but our clothes are still left because we are looking for another place. We get threats in different ways."
The company went on to express sympathy towards the grieving family.
"The management of HOMii Lifestyle wishes to express our deepest sympathy to Mr Khaya Dlamini and Mrs Dlamini, our tenants and other compatriots who have been deeply triggered and affected by the accident that took place at one of our residential blocks in Durban central."
The KwaZulu-Natal South African Police Service have not yet determined what happened at the building and said it is still probing the matter.
"The matter is still under investigation," said police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda.
IOL News