Vanessa Burger is an independent community activist for human rights and social justice.
In September 2019, Vusi Ngema (not his real name) was shot in the face, arm and chest after becoming involved in an altercation with an off-duty, plainclothes police officer at a tavern in Umlazi. His cousin was shot dead during the same incident. Enraged tavern patrons disarmed the officer, beat him up and later handed him over to police when they arrived at the scene some time later. The officer was taken to hospital and placed under police guard. The matter was referred to the Independent Policing Investigative Directorate (Ipid) for investigation.