Lavender Hill residents are living in fear of load shedding after an innocent young man was mercilessly gunned down on Saturday night under the cover of darkness.
Family and friends of Chadley Wesley Dick, 23, watched in skok as his lifeless body was found dead in the street after he had been walking home.
According to witnesses, the popular handyman was called to a car where the mense inside asked him something, then shot him in the face before they fled.
It was later heard that the shooters were looking for someone else, but couldn’t see clearly and shot the wrong ou.
Chadley’s sister Samantha, 35, says the family was at home when they were called shortly before 10pm.
“Chadley wasn’t married and doesn’t have children,” she explains.
“He had so many dreams of being a dancer but he didn’t have funds, so he spent his time doing jobs in the community to earn a little money.
“Sometimes he helped people in their yards and homes just for something to eat.
“We heard that he was called to the car and that they were looking for someone else. He was just walking home... we are very hartseer and can’t even afford to bury him now.”
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk confirms the shooting, adding that when Steenberg police arrived at St Alexander Circle they found Chadley with gunshot wounds to his body.
“The victim was declared deceased on the scene by the medical personnel. The unknown suspects fled the scene and are yet to be arrested. The motive for the attack is unknown.
“Police are investigating a murder,” he says.
A 62-year-old community worker, who asked not to be named, says skollies in the area are capitalising on the load shedding to commit crime, as they know no one can see niks.
“The whole area is black at night and the skollies use this time to do their things.
“Right now we have the Flakkas, the Fast Guns and the Mongrels who are fighting, and Eskom is helping them.
“Eskom is playing with the lives of people on the Cape Flats with this load shedding.
“We are living in fear because you know when the lights go out the shooting starts. Eskom is putting our communities in danger.”