Bheki Cele comforts family of Brionay, 6, struck by stray bullet

Published Jan 16, 2019

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Cape Town - The killing and maiming of children in gang-infested areas must end.

This was the message Minister of Police Bheki Cele brought as he comforted the family of 6-year-old Brionay Julies, who was struck by a stray bullet during a shooting in Athlone on Sunday.

A man was shot dead during the same incident and two were wounded, including Brionay.

Her father, John Julies, blamed himself for her being shot.

“If I hadn’t sent my daughter to the shop she would have been here with me.” He sent her to a nearby shop to buy spices.

“I am in pain to see my child in hospital, but I thank God the bullet struck the leg not the head,” he said.

Julies said Brionay was recovering, but she was still struggling to walk.

“While I was with her in the hospital, she told me several times that she will never play at the streets again.”

Julies said he would restrict his children to playing in the yard in future.

Cele said they were putting “much energy and effort” into combating gangsterism on the Cape Flats.

“We will beef up our efforts to make sure our children are safe.”

Gail Julies mother of Brionay Daniels who was shot in Athlone Cape Town. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency (ANA)

Cele vowed to update parents on the progress of the police in solving the cases involving their children being shot. The shootings had put the government and the police “on the push to normalise the situation so kids can play whenever they want to, and for parents to walk freely on their streets”.

“I take your pain, but that pain sets more work on us,” he said.

Cele was visiting gang-ridden areas and the families of those who had lost loved ones through gang violence, and noted that the situation in Hanover Park and Kraaifontein was “better than before”. As Cele left the Julies home, he was applauded by the crowd outside and listened to the complaints of the community about crime and ongoing court cases.

He invited the Athlone community to work with the police.

One of the community members, Sadia Almamo, 58, said she felt safe now that the minister visited.

“We need more police visibility in our areas,” Almamo said.

She said the community needed to co-operate with the police.

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