Johannesburg - A school fight in Lenasia among a group of boys took a nasty turn when it spillled into the streets and one pupil ended up being shot three times.
Shuaib Ismail, 17, was allegedly shot with a pump-action shotgun by two brothers in an attack that has kept him in hospital since last Friday as doctors fight to save his leg.
Shuaib and his two friends were leaving a local high school in Lenasia, south of Joburg, when they met one of the brothers and his friend sitting in a car parked just outside the school gate.
One of Shuaib’s friends allegedly looked at the other group parked outside the school and was asked why he was staring at them.
Shuaib’s friend, Ngoako Ramafolo, who was present during the altercation, said: “They asked why he was looking at them and he asked whether they should not be looked at. The one guy started shoving my friend, and that is where it ended.”
The youths left the school and drove home. When Shuaib and his friends parked at one of their homes, the other young man arrived in his car along with his brother, who started shouting and attacking them.
“When they came out of the car, the older brother started shouting and asked why we want to fight his brother. He then started punching and fighting me,” said Ngoako.
While he was struggling on the ground with one of the brothers, the other one pulled out his pump-action gun and started shooting randomly.
“He then shot my friend Shuaib, but I did not realise it at the time because I was fighting with one brother. While I was fighting, it turns out my friend’s mother was trying to fight off the other brother to try and stop him from shooting,” he said.
They believe the young man shot at them three times. Ngoako opened a case with Lenasia police station.
Police spokesperson Captain Hector Netshivhodza confirmed they had arrested two suspects, aged 17 and 18, for alleged attempted murder.
“They have been released on bail. The brothers have also indicated they want to open counter-charges Investigations in the case are continuing,” Netshivhodza said.
The mother of the shooting victim, Suhaifa Amad, said her Grade 11 son was struggling with pain in hospital. He underwent an operation to remove splinters on the wound.
“He is supposed to start exams next week, but now all I want is for people to pay for what they did to my son. His leg is in a cast. Do you know how difficult it is for him to bath or what pain he is in?
“I just want justice for my son. I can’t focus on anything but my son’s health,” said Amad.
On the other boys wanting to open counter-charges against her son, Amad said: “They came to our section and fired at our boys. If they want to open counter-charges, they can.”
Gauteng Department of Education spokesperson Steve Mabona said they were worried about cases of violence reported at schools. "That is why the department has a quick response time in these matters,” he said.
Last month, two boys were expelled and 10 girls suspended from Norkem Park High School in Kempton Park after violence broke out there over relationship issues between pupils. The incident was captured in a video that went viral and led Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi to visit the school.