Retreat residents took to the streets on Monday night to commemorate the tragic death of one-year-old TJ Nel, who was killed in a gang shooting last year.
The family of Tashwill Junior says there was not a dry eye in Komlossy Street as residents and relatives lit candles and prayed for the little boy’s family.
TJ died after being struck in the head by a gang bullet on 8 July 2018 while sitting on his uncle’s lap in a car.
Several months after his murder, cops nabbed two high-flying gunmen of the Junky Funky Kidz gang, Anderson Koeberg and Dillion Absolon, who were wanted for a spate of murders in Steenberg and Muizenberg.
Police said Koeberg, 27, was the alleged leader and shooter for the gang and had been linked to five murders and 11 attempted murder cases.
Retreat residents took to the streets to commemorate the tragic death of one-year-old TJ Nel. Picture: Supplied
A hartseer auntie Valencia Jacobs, 27, says after a year, TJ’s parents are still grieving the loss of their baby boy.
“His mom, Cheryl, cries almost every day and she misses him.
“We hosted the commemoration and all the residents came out to support.
“It was really heartsore, there wasn’t a dry eye as everyone stood in the prayer circle and just cried.”
Absolon and Koeberg both applied for bail but their applications were denied at the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court.
Jacobs says they’ve been going to court for almost a year.
“They told us they are putting all their cases together before it can go to the high court.
“We go every time and wear sweaters with TJ’s photo. It is very draining, but we want justice.”
The case resumes on 18 July.