A loving dad of two has been killed after he was run over by a car while he chased after a man accused of breaking into his home.
Joseph Barnes, 35, of Mitchells Plain worked as a welder and
fitter and was dad to boys Jarod, 8, and one-year-old Jude.
Joseph’s wife, Janine Barnes, 30, had heard someone inside their Harmony Village home on Sunday just before 1am and mistook the intruder for her 23-year-old brother.
But when Janine went downstairs to the lounge, she realised their flat-screen TV was missing.
She explains: “I heard someone inside the house and I thought it was my brother who was returning from a party.
“The person was in the kitchen. I heard the gate being locked, but it didn’t feel right for me.
“I ran down the stairs and when
I saw that the television was gone in the lounge, I immediately ran outside.
“I ran down the next road and saw two people. One was dressed in black and the other was in blue council pants and a turquoise top.”
Janine says she rushed back home, alerted her husband and contacted her brother, who then realised that his key and jacket were missing.
FAMILY IN TATTERS: Joseph, Janine with Jarod and Jude. Picture supplied
She said his jacket had been stolen at the party and they believe the skelms used the keys to gain entry.
A few hours later, just after 10am, Joseph began changing the locks of the house.
“We then realised that this was not forced entry,” adds Janine.
She says the angry community brought a suspect to the house after she had identified him.
Ironically, the other suspected burglar was among the community and had pretended to be a concerned resident, until he was piemped.
“The community came and attacked him and he still didn’t want to talk,” says Janine.
“After a long time of torturing him, he said who it was.
“He said the person’s name and he was there inside our house.
“This person whose name was mentioned then started to run and my husband ran after him.
“The girlfriend of (the fleeing suspect) waited (in a silver Honda Jazz) for her boyfriend to cross the road and then she came for my husband.
“She bumped him without stopping and struggled to get into gear.
“While my husband was lying on the windscreen, she (accelerated).
“That was when my husband flew off and landed on the pavement and he was unconscious. And when the ambulance came, he had stopped breathing already.”
NIGHTMARE: Blood-stained Honda Jazz driven by girlfriend of suspected Mitchells Plain skelm. Picture: Jack Lestrade
Janine says more than 30 people, including children, witnessed his death and that the driver came to a stop in Morgenster Road.
The family says the driver was taken into custody but later released.
Cops have yet to confirm this.
A witness, who asked not to be identified, says: “He lost his life while defending his family, and this was after they broke into his home while he and his wife and kids were inside.”
GRIEF: Wife Janine, 30
Police spokesperson Mihlali Majikela confirms that a case of culpable homicide has been opened for investigation.