A Hanover Park couple, who lost their teenage son to gang violence, hosted a mass memorial over the weekend to assist grieving parents.
Kashiefa and Isgaak Mohammed say a year after losing their 17-year-old son, Raffiq, they are still struggling to cope, and wanted to reach out to other parents by hosting a dinner at Voorspoed Primary School on Sunday.
Raffiq, who grew up in Tiberius Court, was killed by members of the Laughing Boys gang on his mother’s birthday on 17 March 2017.
Kashiefa says: “Raffiq and his friend were sitting outside and the gangsters in our area had an argument with his friend.
“The way turf works is that a child from another side of Hanover Park can’t go to another turf of a rival gang even if they are not a gangster. They argued and Raffiq was stabbed several times and died.”
VENUE: Voorspoed
She says despite a guilty conviction for one of his attackers, the couple still miss their youngest son.
“As parents, we know what it’s like to lose an innocent child to senseless gang killings, so last year on his birthday, 10 December, we handed out party packets.
“But this year we decided to do something for the parents, so we invited parents of innocent children [who were killed]. We hosted a supper and a memorial where parents could come and share their experiences.
“Many people are still traumatised and feel like their children were forgotten, so now we can all provide support to each other,” she says.
monique.duval@inl.co.za