A brave crime-fighter and her family have been forced to flee their Manenberg home after skollies fired a hail of bullets at their home.
Roegshanda Pascoe of the Western Cape Safety Forum says the attack on her home comes days after the murder trial for Angelo Davids, in which she is a state witness, got underway at the Cape High Court.
Davids was stabbed to death on 20 July 2016 in full view of the community by a group of men.
But shortly after the murder, no witnesses were prepared to give cops a statement.
“I decided no, we cannot just leave it like that because it happened in front of me, and I gave a statement,” Pascoe tells the Daily Voice.
Manenberg cops arrested Monray Fagan, Moegamat Faeez Hendricks, Shamiel Petersen, Ziyaad Lewis, Moegamat Naeem Benjamin and Jonathan Willschutt, all alleged members of the Clever Kidz gang.
The six men appeared in the Athlone Magistrate's Court where they were denied bail.
On 4 March, their trial commenced, but stalled as one of the six was apparently considering a plea bargain with the state.
Two days later, Pascoe was removed from her house in Pecos Walk and taken to a place of safety as she was expected to take the stand the next day.
“I refused witness protection because they wanted to take me and my whole family out of the province,” she explains.
SCARY: Bullet shell at house
“We would have had our whole lives uprooted. I have children and grandchildren in school. My children work here and they would have lost their jobs.
“As the trial came closer, I received threats and there was even talk about another witness who was paid R5 000 to withdraw her statement.”
She says after midnight on Wednesday, she received a call from her daughter, indicating a group of men had jumped over the gate and fired several shots at her house.
“My 24-year-old son lives in a separate entrance in the front yard and as he opened the door the guy was standing with the gun.
“He banged the door shut and they fired several shots and a bullet grazed his leg.
“The other bullets went straight through the rooms where my grandchildren were sleeping, but luckily nobody was hurt. We all had to leave, but we are safe now.”
Acting Manenberg station commander, Colonel Sanele Zama, confirms the shooting but says no arrests have been made.
“Detectives are investigating an attempted murder case.”
Officers of the Anti-Gang Unit were also sent to court on Monday to help protect Pascoe.
The murder trial was postponed until 20 March 2019.