A fight over a girl ended with a schoolboy being shot and wounded in Heideveld.
The 16-year-old was shot with a pellet gun and hit in the arm and on the side of his chest.
The boy had to be rushed to Heideveld Daily Hospital for treatment.
When the Daily Voice visited the victim’s family, his grandma, 69, said they were alerted about a shooting which happened outside the premises of Cathkin High School on Wednesday morning.
“He is in hospital, he was left injured. We don’t know what really happened but we know that it was over a girl he was involved with about a year ago.”
The Grade 11 learner was shot by a 30-year-old security guard who said he was simply protecting his 18-year-old brother.
Speaking to the Daily Voice, the guard said: “My brother got involved in a fight with the boy on Saturday, he was walking with my nephew, who is 15 years old.
“The fight was over a girl who my nephew wanted phone numbers from last year, and then he found out that she has a boyfriend and he left her alone.
“On Saturday, the two went to the shop when they were stopped by the 16-year-old boy and he confronted them about the girlfriend’s issue. My brother got involved and he was punched on the lip.”
The man says on Wednesday morning he decided to accompany the 18-year-old to school to protect him.
“When we got outside the school, there was a mob with the boy I shot. They had knives and they wanted to stab my brother and so I warned them to get back and they came for us and I took out the gun and then I shot when I saw they were not backing down. I shot him three times.
“And then I called the police who came out but they didn’t take me into custody. We just want to make peace with them and I want my brother and nephew to be able to freely walk around.”
The man said he used his service pistol, which is a gas gun shooting pepper pellets.
Manenberg police spokesperson Captain Ian Bennett confirmed the incident and said they have opened a case of assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm against the 30-year-old shooter. The matter is still under investigation.
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za