Johannesburg -
With only five days to Christmas, it will be a bleak festive season for Joburg families who have lost young sons to violent crime this year.
The wounds are still raw for the parents of Taegrin Morris and Luke Tibbetts as they face their first festive season, traditionally a time for families to be together, without their little boys.
“I won’t say we are doing okay. It is going to be a tough Christmas for my family,” said Luke’s uncle, Llewellyn Valentine.
Three-year-old Luke died when he was struck by a stray bullet fired in a gang shooting in Westbury in August. He was seated on his mother Candice’s lap, in a car, when the bullet wounded him in the head.
He died in hospital a few days later.
Valentine said Candice Tibbetts, his sister, was not coping with her son’s death. She was admitted to hospital a few months ago after trying to “hurt herself”.
The family had no special plans and would visit the little one’s grave on Christmas Day, Valentine said.
To the east of Joburg, in Reiger Park, it is a sombre time for Taegrin’s parents, Chantal and Elwin, the Morris family’s spokesman, Grant Esterhuizen, says.
“They’re obviously going to be at home and it will bring back a lot of memories,” he said.
Taegrin, 4, was caught in the seat belt when Chantal, confronted by hijackers, tried to remove him from her car. The hijackers sped off, dragging him beside the car. He was later found dead next to the abandoned car.
Thamsanqa Twala was arrested in connection with the hijacking, but the murder charge was later withdrawn.
Cuburne van Wyk, 3, and also from Reiger Park, disappeared in August while playing outside with his siblings. His burnt remains were found near a mine dump three days later. His parents are enduring a painful wait for justice. They expressed their frustration after the case against Nathaniel Mpoku was postponed again, to January 5.
- Saturday Star