Little Aqeel Davids’ life was snuffed out in an apparent gang shooting in the early hours of Saturday morning, while his family was preparing for the wedding of his granny Shanaaz Davids, 53.
It’s believed a teenager being chased by skollies ran into the family’s house in Nebula Street, and they started shooting at the house indiscriminately.
Aqeel, nine, was shot in the head through the lounge window, while three other people, including his aunt, uncle and an unknown teenager, were wounded.
The boy was rushed to hospital where he was declared brain dead just before 7am on Saturday.
His family then had the heartbreaking task of switching off his life-support system. He was laid to rest at 6pm on Saturday.
Aqeel was home with his father Sedick, 35, his uncle Ishmael, 26, and aunt Mishka Davids, 28.
A family friend, who was outside helping with wedding preparations, says several men appeared out of nowhere.
Tashreeq Lee, 23, explains a 19-year-old man was being chased by a gang.
“One guy came running into the yard and headed for the back gate. A whole group of armed men chased him. I ran into the house and closed the door to prevent them from coming in and Ishmael ran to the back to stop them there,” he says.
“The [19-year-old] guy was at the door and being shot at and he forced the door open. The shooters shot into the house, hitting Ishmael in the arm and then Mishka, the bullet grazed her under her breast.
“The other guys then shot through the front window. Aqeel was sitting right there at the door and the bullet hit him in the head; right in the middle. We did not see until he jumped up and collapsed in the passage.
“We were all in shock, I just picked him up and rushed to the car. We drove him to the hospital. He was brain dead. He was gone and I could not save him.”
A heartbroken Shanaaz said she was not at home at the time and rushed straight to hospital after someone called her about the shooting.
“They said by the time he arrived at the hospital he was brain dead, the front part of his head was open and his brain matter was exposed, there was no way he could have lived,” she told Weekend Argus.
The wedding has been placed on hold.
On Sunday, the granny visited Ishmael in hospital.
Bullet hole in the lounge. Photo: Cindy Waxa/ANA
Aqeel’s maternal aunt, Fatima Petersen, says they are all traumatised.
“His parents are still in shock. Instead of a wedding for his ouma, Shanaaz, we had a janaazah for him at 6pm on Saturday,” she says.
“Switching off those machines was the hardest decision they had to make. It was heartbreaking. His parents are trying to stay strong, but he was a massive force of life and he will be missed.”
She describes Aqeel as “vibrant and intelligent”. He was in Grade 3 at Kleinberg Primary in Ocean View. She says he recently made a banjo and loved to play it.
“He liked making a noise with that thing and as I was going to sleep after his janaazah, I swore I heard him play. It’s weird, but maybe he just wanted me to know he is OK.”
Fatima says for now, Shanaaz’s wedding has been put on the back burner. “We don’t know when it will take place now.”
Neighbour Cindy Woodward, 20, whose six-month-old baby Zahnia was shot and killed in December, says the latest child murder has angered the Ocean View community.
“An innocent child, just like mine, ripped from his family. When will this end?” she asks.
Police spokesperson, Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana, says investigators are hard at work tracking down the killers.
Anyone with information that can assist with the investigation is requested to contact Ocean View police on 021 783 8300.
“No one has been arrested at this stage,” says Rwexana.