A man was shot and killed while boarding a taxi with his girlfriend and their two-year-old son.
It’s believed Anwar Fortune was holding his laaitie when he was shot three times in the head.
Witness Cheryl Williams posted on Facebook: “I saw how all the people ran for their lives but the guy and his son fell on the ground because he was covering his son and cried.”
The incident took place just after 11am on Saturday morning on the corner of Bonteheuwel Avenue and Mahogany Road in Bonteheuwel, in full view of terrified commuters and scores of mense in the street.
The 26-year-old, who police say was a member of the Stupa Boys gang, was shot by a suspected member of the Terrible Josters.
A witness, who wishes to remain anonymous, says she was sitting behind Fortune in the taxi when the bullets started flying.
In a post on Facebook, she wrote: “The words he told them was, ‘leave my family, take me anytime but not in front of them’ and when the shots went off he grabbed his family to protect (them)... my son, 4, was sitting behind Anwar and when I saw (the gunman) pointed the gun to Anwar and in the direction of my son, I grabbed my child so fast onto the floor, lay on him, bullet passing by me and hit that poor laddie, I cried.”
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel André Traut says suspects are yet to be arrested.
“The circumstances are being investigated,” he says.
Another eyewitness, who did not want to be identified, told Daily Voice: “He was with his girlfriend and their two-year-old child. While the door was open, the [gunman] came towards the taxi with the gun in his hand and people told the driver to go.
“[The driver] told him not to shoot and for a second he hesitated but then he came closer and just started shooting.”
The gunman shot through the open door as the passengers screamed in terror.
“People were telling [the driver] to get away but [he] couldn’t move because [he] was being shielded by one of the passengers,” the witness says.
“After the shooting, everyone got out of the taxi, including [the victim’s] girlfriend.”
The taxi driver then rushed Anwar to hospital but he was declared dead on arrival.
It’s alleged that the driver was assaulted at the hospital by “friends of the deceased”.
Another witness said: “Anwar’s family blames the driver for his death because he didn’t leave the scene.”
Anwar was buried according to Islamic rites yesterday.
A relative, who claims Anwar left the Stupa Boys gang after the birth of his son, said the family was not available for comment.