Two brothers from Heinz Park were killed almost two years apart, allegedly by the same shooter.
In November 2021, Riaan Thom, 21, was shot five times, then 18-year-old Alfonzo was shot in the chest and head in Daffodil Street on Sunday.
Their heartbroken mother Geneve, 39, said that she doesn’t know how the shooting happened but believes that her youngest son was targeted by skollies.
“I can say that they did target him because they can’t accept that the kids here defend themselves, because these kids don’t want to belong to a gang,” Geneve explained. “The gangsters get upset because they don’t want to be Hard Livings.”
She said Riaan was also killed in Heinz Park, and that his death affected Alfonzo badly.
“My eldest son was a gangster, but not Alfonzo. It is very heartbreaking, the one wound hasn’t healed and here I have been hurt again. They loved each other very much,” Geneve added.
Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi confirmed the shooting at the weekend, adding: “The unknown suspects fled the scene and are yet to be arrested.
“The motive for the attack is unknown. Samora Machel police are investigating a murder.”
Geneve claimed the alleged shooter, believed to be a member of the Hard Livings gang, is known to the community and was allegedly also responsible for shooting Riaan.
“It's not the first time that I have lost a child at the hands of the same person,” she said.
“And last Sunday he also killed somebody. It is just him carrying out murders in Heinz Park. However, nothing happens to him.”
MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen, said: “I will be engaging the provincial commissioner’s office, along with the relevant senior SAPS management to address these incidents.”
Allen has urged residents to piemp criminals to police and other law enforcement agencies, “so that swift arrests and convictions can occur”.