Police Fire Rubber Bullets As Justice For Dlamini Twins Protest Turns Chaotic In Durban

Police fired rubber bullets to disperse an angry crowd outside the HOMii Lifestyle building in central Durban on Monday, as tensions boiled over during a protest demanding justice for the Dlamini twins — the siblings who plunged into a lift shaft earlier this month.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the high-rise under the banner #JusticeForDlaminiTwins, calling for accountability from both the building management and local authorities. Protesters, including residents, activists, and grieving family members, accused police of negligence and withholding crucial evidence.

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Chanting “Justice delayed is justice denied,” the crowd waved placards and sang struggle songs before officers moved in to disperse them.

Family Demands CCTV Footage and Transparency

The tragedy that sparked the protest occurred on 18 October, when Aphelele Dlamini, one of the twin siblings, died after falling into a lift shaft at the HOMii building. His twin sister, Aphile, survived but remains in a coma at a Durban hospital.

The children’s father, Khaya Dlamini, addressed the crowd, demanding the release of the building’s surveillance footage.

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“We need justice. We need to see the footage for ourselves. We want to know what happened to our children,” he said.

Amid rising emotions, some protesters called for tenants to vacate the building, while others shouted that it should be “shut down or burned.”

‘We Don’t Understand What Happened’ – Family On Police 

The Dlamini family said their grief has been worsened by poor communication from police and building management.

“We’re protesting today because we have not received justice,” said Thuli Dlamini, the twins’ aunt. “Police took our statement at the mortuary, but now they claim it’s gone missing. We are extremely hurt as a family and demand clarity.”

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing.

“The matter is still under investigation,” he said.

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