Manenberg residents gathered on Thursday to light candles and mourn with the family of slain teen, Vanchesco Harris.
His heartbroken parents, Georgina and Gabriel, say they felt overwhelmed when more than 100 residents gathered outside their home in Elsjieskraal Road with candles to share stories and say farewell.
The 18-year-old died on 29 September after a vicious attack where he was robbed of his chain, stabbed, hit with an axe and left to die on a veldtjie by a group of skollies.
The teen, who worked as a caretaker at a Claremont school, was walking to the shop to buy entjies when the incident happened.
His family rushed to the scene after being alerted by a neighbour’s son and took him to hospital where he died.
Gabriel says the grieving family were overwhelmed when residents started gathering outside his home on Thursday.
“It was arranged by children in the community who are all grieving and still in shock about what happened to him. More than 100 people came here and cried and shared stories about Vanchesco, saying he was a decent and respectful laaitie. My wife and I are still very heartbroken and we are still trying to get money together for the funeral.”
Two days after the attack, police arrested Trevor Abrahams, 27, who appeared in the Athlone Magistrate's Court last week.
Abrahams will make his next court appearance on Wednesday where Vanchesco’s family will call for his bail to be denied.