RESIDENTS of Khayelitsha in Cape Town are still reeling in shock after three young women, including a teenager, were shot in the head on Monday, 27 September, at around 7.30pm.
Nontobeko Bless (58), whose daughter Nolisindiso (17) was killed along with her two friends aged 20 and 21, said she was shocked and still couldn’t believe her daughter is dead.
“She was just 17 years old and had her whole life ahead of her. She wasn’t supposed to die like that,” said Bless.
“What did they do to be killed like this? I was not at home but her brother said they just left the house and a few minutes later, he heard gunshots go off. To show they were going to come back, they left the music playing.”
Nolisindiso’s brother Sindisa Bless (22) said he last saw her when she went out with her two friends.
“They went out for a few minutes and gunshots went off. I was standing outside the house and as soon as I heard gunshots, I ran inside,” he said.
After few minutes, residents came to inform them Nolusindiso had been shot.
“We never thought she’s dead. We ran there so we can rush her to the hospital but when we got there, they were already dead,” he said.
Sindisa said whoever shot his sister and friends wanted to kill them.
A resident said they were watching television when they heard people being pushed against their shacks.
“Since it’s something that happens almost every day, we didn’t read into it until we heard gunshots.”
She said after hearing gunshots, they hid so they wouldn’t get hit by stray bullets.
“We’re sad and feel for their families,” she said.
Western Cape Minister of Community Safety Albert Fritz said: “This violence cannot be tolerated and we need urgent arrests and for all those responsible to face the full might of the law. Those who committed this horrible crime must end up behind bars.”
Fritz said they had welcomed the news that cops had instituted a 72-hour activation plan.
Brigadier Novela Potelwa confirmed the incident, saying that residents at the TT Block squatter camp heard gunshots on Monday night.
“The bodies of the women aged 17, 20, and 21 years old were discovered in a passage between the shacks.”
Potelwa said three murder cases were opened and no arrests have been made yet.
