A Lavender Hill family is mourning the death of their grandfather, who was caught in the crossfire of a gang shooting on Thursday.
Residents say that Henry Paulse, 51, was walking to a shop just after 3pm when multiple shots were fired.
A resident who knew the victim says: “Uncle Henry was not a gangster, hy was ‘n ou man wat nie ‘n vlieg sou doodmaak nie.
“He was walking to the shop when the gangsters started shooting. He was hit by their bullets and died before he could even reach the shop.
“People say that the gangsters were shooting at each other from opposite sides of the road.”
The resident adds two people were also shot and injured and taken to hospital.
“It’s not fair that the people who were targeted in the shooting are still alive.
“The shootings have been bad for the last two weeks because the Funkies, Five Guns and Mongrels are fighting each other but this is the first time they shoot in that road. When it happened, everybody came outside to see and then we saw that Uncle Henry was shot.”
According to the resident, Henry has five children and four grandchildren and lived in St Barnabas Street, two roads away from St Thomas Street.
“You read about these shootings all over but it is always innocent people who die, that is just not right and it must stop.”
When approached by the Daily Voice, Henry’s family said they were too traumatised and sad to comment.
SAPS’ Andre Traut said police are investigating the shooting and no arrests have been made.
“A murder and two counts of attempted murder are under investigation after a man was shot and killed in St Thomas Street, Lavender Hill, and two others aged 23 and 32 wounded.”
junior.bester@inl.co.za