QINISO Dlamini had started his countdown to his dream of becoming a lawyer.
And, no day went by without him telling his family he would become a great and well-respected lawyer one day.
But his life was cut short on Tuesday, 28 September, when he was fatally shot, allegedly by a local farm owner.
The 17-year-old was in grade 10 at Sebenzakusakhanya High School in Glencoe, KZN.
It’s alleged Qiniso was shot while he was at a farm with a few local boys, to beg the farmer to release their cows which he was apparently keeping in his kraal after they went inside his property.
Qiniso’s uncle Doctor Dlamini (44) said he left home to apologise to the farmer after the herdsman mistakenly let the cows graze near his farm.
“The herdsman came home to alert the family the farmer had kept the cows in his kraal as he said they were inside it. The boys then went over to apologise and promise that such would never happen again. The boys said they all begged him to release the cows but when Qiniso started begging, he went inside his house and returned with a shotgun that he pointed at him,” he said.
Doctor said the boys were all shocked when the farmer allegedly shot Qiniso on the abdomen, and he died at the scene.
“This is painful because my nephew was very young and had a right future ahead of him. We’re happy the suspect was arrested, but what will set our hearts free is to see him getting life imprisonment and rotting in jail. This won’t bring back Qiniso, but surely we will be at ease knowing his life will also be stuck just as he took our child’s life,” he said.
KZN police spokeswoman Captain Nqobile Gwala confirmed a case of murder was being investigated by the Glencoe police.
“It’s alleged that on Tuesday, a boy was shot dead at a farm in Glencoe. He sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen and died at the scene. A 68-year-old suspect was arrested and charged with murder. He is expected to appear in court soon,” she said.
