‘THE COP JUST SHOT WILDLY’ - Young Manenberg mom dies from complications after being struck by a rubber bullet

A MANENBERG mom, who was set to celebrate her 29th birthday on 19 February, has died after she was allegedly shot with a rubber bullet by cops while trying to film the arrest of her neighbours.​

Shanell Prins, 28, fondly known as Nelly, was at her home on 2 February in Sea Rose Street, when cops arrived at their neighbour’s house to fetch them for an alleged robbery incident.​

According to her brother, Brandall, the cops had taken the wrong people, and as their neighbours attempted to clear their name, their protests were unheard as cops allegedly assaulted them.

​He explained: “They were beating them, took out their guns and said, ‘it is you lying, moet nie k*k praat’, and their mother tried to question why they were beating them when they did nothing.

​“As my sister heard the two boys screaming, she went out and tried to help. The police then took them out of their house because they were suspected of a robbery, and all Shanell did was tell them that what they were doing was wrong.”​

Shanell then proceeded to take a video of cops taking her neighbours into a police vehicle, and that’s when all hell apparently broke loose.

​Brandall told the Daily Voice: “The police officer grabbed his firearm and just went haywire, shooting wildly.

​“Shanell tried to run away, but then there was this cop behind her with the gun, so she turned her back and protected her head, and this guy was just shooting at her like hell. This cop still went on and also hurt my father and an elderly lady.”​

Shanell sustained a wound to her leg after she was allegedly shot by a rubber bullet and was admitted to several hospitals.

Brandall added: “The hospital released her [on the] Friday, then she came home and said she was in pain. She said to me, ‘Boeta, I’m dying, boeta, I’m gonna die because I can’t take this pain anymore.’ ​

“[The following] Monday, we took her to Mitchells Plain hospital, and they only dressed her wounds, they didn’t even see why she’s having this pain. They told us we had to go buy her pain pills.”

​He then brought his sister pills after she came home, including sleeping pills, as she could not sleep due to the pain.​

Shanell was then taken to Groote Schuur Hospital the following day, where she was admitted for surgery. She passed away, allegedly due to septic shock from the rubber bullet wound.

Manenberg Station Commander Brigadier Jayce Naidoo said that an inquest docket for investigation.

Naidoo said: “It is alleged that the 29-year-old female was taken to hospital on 2 February 2026 after suffering a rubber bullet injury during a confrontation with SAPS members in Sea Rose Street, Manenberg.

“The injury was to her left leg. She was taken again to the hospital on Tuesday, 10 February 2026, where she passed on due to a medical complication after the wound seemed to have turned septic.”

He added that SAPS detectives will be following information received and are awaiting the post-mortem results.

Shanell’s death was felt throughout the company, as she leaves behind her heartbroken family - among them a minor daughter.