Cape Town - Family members of 17-year-old Cape Argus Peace Ambassador Riedwaan Samuels are seeking answers after the teenager was shot four times in Hanover Park. His mother, Badronessa Samuels, said the shooting was devastating.
The Grade 12 pupil from Groenvlei High School was shot as he was playing football.
“He was always involved in bringing peace to the community through the Peace Ambassador group,” his mother said.
Samuels said her son was shot once in the leg, once in the shoulder, once in the thigh and once in the wrist on Tuesday. Riedwaan is recovering in hospital. His friend, Labeeqa Stemmet, who was in the same Peace Ambassador group described him as a warm-hearted person.
“Riedwaan was never disrespectful towards educators. Riedwaan is a very fun person, loves to make jokes, and is a very helpful person,” said Stemmet.
As a Peace Ambassador in Hanover Park, Riedwaan has been involved in educating his community about the benefits of peace.
Groenvlei High deputy principal Patrick Hendricks said: “We are familiar with the incident, but we’re not commenting as there are department (Western Cape Education Department) protocols we follow. The matter has been referred to Safe Schools.”
He also commended the Cape Argus’s support to help drive the Peace Ambassadors programme with Professor Brian Williams.
Williams, who is behind the peace initiative, said he started it because of the violence in the community. He had an opportunity to train Riedwaan, said Williams.
Tuesday’s shooting came about four weeks after Keagan de Silver, 17, also of Hanover Park, was shot close to his home. He later died. Keagan was also a Peace Ambassador.
Said Williams: “Peace is everyone’s responsibility: individuals, community members and community leaders
must be actively involved in peacemaking. Let us be committed in building the journey to create a new Hanover Park.”
@SISONKE_MD