The community of Bonteheuwel gathered to mourn the tragic death of a father and his two-year-old son on Thursday night [June 4]. Mogamat Johnson (32) and his son Zhario were killed during a drive-by shooting while on their way to a nearby shop, on Wednesday evening [June 3].
It is believed that Zhario is the fifth child to die on the Cape Flats in under a week. Local organisation Mothers 4 Justice plans to make an appeal for the alcohol ban to be put back in place. Other shootings were reported in Manenberg and Lentegeur.
“May the almighty be with all the coloured communities how many lives must still be lost its now the time to stand up against gangsterism my granddaughter was also killed in a crossfire about 2months ago an my heart goes out to my son an his wife he cant deal with the pain of losing his only daughter my allah place sabr… in the hearts of those that lost someone to gang violence,” one community member commented.
“This is so sad…and so true ever since the ban of alcohol has been lifted there have been shootings and loads of accidents, its just not right. It has been so nice and quiet these past two months, its really heartbreaking. May sweet Allah protect us all frm this terrifying acts,” another community member said.
The alcohol ban was put in place to allow South Africa’s health system to prepare for the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and was lifted on June 1 when the country moved down to level 3 of lockdown. Since the ban was lifted, there has been a 100% increase in trauma cases at some Cape Town hospitals.