An imam and his family have survived a terrifying drive-by attack on their car, suffering serious injuries.
Imam Maghdie Abrahams, 50, his wife Shireen, 51, and their sons Ebrahiema, 21, Muneer, 19, and Mushud, 14, are lucky to be alive after the attack near their Bonteheuwel home on Wednesday just after 10pm.
The family of five had returned from visiting relatives in Mitchells Plain when they were attacked in a drive-by shooting in Juniper Road.
Maghdie says Ebrahiema pulled over for what he thought was a passing car.
Minutes later shots were fired in their direction from the black VW Polo that pulled up next to them.
“We were on the bend about to turn into Juniper Road when I asked [Ebrahiema] why he’s driving towards the kerb and he told me the car wants to [pass],” the dad says.
“The car passed and as it was next to us, he shouted: ‘Daddy, this guy is going to shoot us!’
“[The gunman]leaned out of the car and shot. It was at close range, he was right next to us,” he says.
Maghdie, who was in the passenger seat escaped with a flesh wound to his shoulder while his wife and one of their sons’ injuries was more serious.
The father, who was hit in the shoulder, drove his family to hospital.
“[Ebrahiema] was shot in the stomach but he still managed to get out [of the car],” Maghdie says.
“My wife was shot in the mouth, through her breasts and her fingers. She is fighting for her life.
“My one son was shot in his face and knee and the other one in his fingers.”
Maghdie says the shooters stopped firing when he and Ebrahiema got out of the car.
“They fired about nine to 10 shots and were actually shocked themselves when they saw my son and I getting out of the car,” he says.
“They stood there looking at the car. They saw I was dressed in my [salaah] top and fez, they were shocked.”
Their white Opel Kadett is riddled with bullets and the windows shattered.
Maghdie says he believes the attack was a case of mistaken identity.
“All our windows were rolled up and it’s tinted so they couldn’t see who was in the car,” he explains.
“It was [a case of] mistaken identity.”
By last night, both his wife and son were in a stable condition after undergoing emergency operations.
Captain FC van Wyk says the suspects’ vehicle, which was reported stolen in July, was later found abandoned in the area.
“An attempted murder case was opened for investigation.”