A witness says one of the killers who shot a teacher at a Mitchells Plain school was wearing grey school trousers.
Thulani Manqoyi, 52, a Grade 6 teacher at Heinz Park Primary School, was sitting in his grey Toyota Verso on Tuesday morning when two shooters approached him and fired two shots.
When the forensics drove away with his body, family and teachers formed a guard of honour and applauded as the vehicle left.
His traumatised brother Simphiwe tells the Daily Voice that the teacher was a married father of three who loved his family dearly.
“We don’t know why he was shot because he was a good man. I was at work when I got the call about his death and when I got to the scene, he had already been declared dead.
“I was told that the suspects pointed a firearm at the security guard by the gate. And then they went to my brother and shot him,” says Simphiwe.
A witness says the incident happened around 8am as pupils arrived at school.
“I heard two gunshots and then things went haywire.
The children were running around in the school yard,” says the woman.
“On my way to check what the chaos was about, I saw two people whom I later heard were the shooters.”
She says one of the suspects was wearing grey school pants: “They ran away from the scene. I don’t want to speculate that one of the shooters is a learner.”
Thulani’s shocked pupils stood outside the school, crying uncontrollably at the news of his passing.
A bystander, who is in Grade 8, said: “He was my favourite teacher when I was in Grade 6, he was a very kind man and this is really painful to me as his former student.”
Police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut says: “He was shot and killed in the parking area of Heinz Park Primary School while sitting in his vehicle at around 7.45am.
“Two unknown suspects fled the scene and are yet to be arrested.
“Any person with information regarding the murder is kindly requested to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.”
Western Cape Education Department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond says the victim had been teaching at the school for 13 years.
“He was a Grade 6 mathematics educator and has been teaching at the school since 2008.
“The WCED sends its condolences to the family, friends and school community. Counselling support has been arranged for learners and educators.”
Education MEC Debbie Schäfer expressed her shock about the incident.
“I offer my deepest condolences to his loved ones, colleagues and school – to lose a long-serving teacher in this way is a senseless tragedy,” she said.
“We do not have more details at this stage, but it is vital that SAPS do everything in their power to find and arrest the perpetrator/s as soon as possible.
“It is unacceptable that our teachers, who are providing one of the most vital services for our country, cannot be safe at work.”
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za