DURBAN - THE family of a 14-year-old boy were still traumatised, after he was killed in a shooting, along with five others, at Zamani Informal Settlement, in uMlazi U-Section, on Saturday night.
Mnelisi Mbhele, a Grade 9 pupil at Igagasi High School, was shot and killed in the crossfire.
Likhona Khumalo, Noxolo Mzimela (from Sydenham, who had visited her boyfriend), Mphathiseni Manyoni, Lindokuhle Khomo, and an unidentified woman who had visited her boyfriend, were also killed.
Mnelisi's aunt Zibuyile Mbhele said her nephew slept at his uncle’s home, due to limited space.
“After supper, he went straight to his uncle’s house. He was in a very good mood because his mother had just bought him a new cellphone. A few minutes after his departure, someone came to inform us that Mnelisi had been shot,” Mbhele said.
The uncle was a neighbour to the rented rooms, where the shooting took place. “We rushed to the scene and found him bleeding, with a gunshot wound to the forehead. He was still breathing. We took him to Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital. Within 10 minutes of arrival he was declared dead,” said Mbhele.
His favourite subjects were maths and science.
“He was very humble. He played soccer and liked watching television,” added Mbhele.
Manyoni’s brother Sifanele Manyoni said the family were still in shock, and weakened by the whole incident.
Manyoni was from KwaHlabisa and a former employee at a cleaning services company, contracted to the eThekwini Municipality’s Isipingo offices. “I got a call, which informed me that an attacker came and shot six people, including my brother and a girl, who we think was his girlfriend,” said Sifanele.
He had two children, aged 4 and 6, and was described as a people’s person, who kept everyone in stitches with his jokes.
In one of the rooms, Manyoni and his girlfriend’s blood still formed a pool on the floor.
One of the room’s landlords Mlungisi Mlobeli said he was called by neighbours, informing him that his tenant Khumalo was killed.
“The deceased’s family had already arrived and then left. Our heartfelt condolences go to all the families who lost loved ones,” said Mlobeli.
Khumalo’s girlfriend, who did not want to be named, said she still could not believe he was dead. “I last saw him after returning from work on Saturday. A few minutes later, I was informed that he had been shot.”
She said Khumalo had worked at a carpet factory, but was retrenched due to Covid-19.
His landlord Mbuso Cele said he returned from a family wedding and learnt of the shooting.
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said charges of murder were being investigated by uMlazi SAPS. He confirmed that six people, aged 14 to 28, were shot by unknown gunmen. The motive for the murders was unknown at this stage.
Meanwhile, the family of the murdered Gauteng government official Babita Deokaran has praised police for the swift arrest of the suspects.
The seven men, said to be from KwaZulu-Natal, were tracked down on Friday.
Deokaran family spokesperson Tony Haripersardh on Sunday thanked Babita’s neighbours who provided video clips from their CCTV cameras to help police trace the suspects.
“Although the arrest will not revive our dear aunt, we are happy that at least police have found people who will possibly answer for her death,” said Haripersardh.
Police said the men were due to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Deokaran, formerly from Durban, was shot dead outside her house in Mondeor last week. She was a witness for the Special Investigating Unit probing corruption in personal protective equipment (PPE) procurement.
Daily News