Police say Clayton Alfreds had been with his friends in Peta Court, Manenberg just after 8.15pm when rival gangsters opened fire.
VICTIM: Clayton Alfreds, 12, injured
Clayton’s mother, Felicity, took her child and rushed with him to Red Cross Children’s Hospital.
Clayton is in Grade 5 at Rio Grande Primary School.
Gang violence in the area claimed two lives in the past two weeks.
A dog was also shot dead, and seven people were wounded.
Last week an eight-year-old girl was shot in both her legs in Joyce Court while standing on the staircase.
A 16-year-old boy was also shot in the hip in Storms River Way.
Clayton’s aunt, Laeticia Koopman, 33, says the family is praying there will be no long-term injuries from the gunshot wound in his back.
Laeticia was inside her Peta Court home when she heard the gunshots ring out.
“Clayton was with his friends and here the gangsters shoot anytime. It is not safe for our children to play and be free,” she says.
“His mother ran to him and took him to hospital because here you have to wait long for an ambulance as they need to be escorted by the police.
“All we know is that they can see the bullet, so hopefully that it is good news, that there won’t be any complications.”
Manenberg SAPS spokesperson, Captain Ian Bennett, commented saying: “It is alleged the 12-year-old boy was outside in Peta Court, Manenberg when gangs started shooting randomly. It is unknown why or who fired the shots.”