Police in Mount Ayliff in the Eastern Cape allegedly fired live ammunition at a group of protesters in Lubaleko Administrative Area killing a 17-year-old learner in the process.
Police fired live ammunition when they ran out of rubber bullets.
That's according to the spokesperson for the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, Robbie Rabu-Rabu.
Rabu-Rabu spoke to Algoa FM News on Friday following the incident on Thursday in which a learner from the Lubaleko Senior Secondary School, Onke Siseni, was fatally wounded and another, Somelese Mngwebu, was also wounded.
Rabu-Rabu said police were called to the scene when a group of disgruntled community members set a local tavern alight.
He said police, who were also pelted with stones, started firing rubber bullets to disperse the crowd, which had swelled after school children joined the protest.
However, Rabu-Rabu said when they ran out of rubber bullets, live ammunition was apparently used.
"According to what the police are saying, they ran out of rubber bullets and started using the live rounds. Unfortunately when the schools kids came out, the school kids joined in the rampage" he said.
Rabu- Rabu said the crowd then attacked the police officers and they retaliated.
He also added, that Mgwebu, who is a police officer's child, is in critical condition in hospital.
IPID is investigating a case of murder and attempted murder.
16 people were also arrested on charges of public violence and malicious damage to property and they will appear in court soon.
