Cape Town – A pregnant woman, who had gone into labour, was shot and killed when gunmen opened fire in the shack she was in.
Mom-of-three Shaida Nathan, 32, who was nearly nine months' pregnant, died on Sunday night as paramedics tried to save her and her baby’s lives.
Unfortunately, both mom and her unborn child passed away at the scene in Klipbok Street in Scottsdene, Kraaifontein.
Two other men, who were in the shack with Shaida, were wounded in the attack and have been hospitalised.
According to a source, it is not clear if the shooting was gang-related, but one of the men was the intended target.
A resident, who did not want to be named, said two men were seen jumping over the fence of the yard and started shooting at the backyard shack.
“It happened on Sunday just after 6am. The two shooters came from Laboheme Street’s side and shot a klomp skote (shots) at the hokkie (shack) where Shaida and two men were.
Shaida Nathan, 32, was nearly nine months' pregnant and had gone into labour before being gunned down. Picture: Supplied
“You can clearly see the bullet holes. Shaida was highly pregnant and she was getting labour pains."
A relative of Shaida, who asked not to be named, says Zoo Park is a notorious crime hot spot in Scottsdene.
He says the family could not go to the shacks as there were more shootings in the area on Sunday and yesterday.
“Shaida was a mother of three children, her one child is in foster care, the other two were with her, but I don’t know where they are now,” says the 68-year-old man.
“Shaida was a patient at Stikland psychiatric hospital. From what I’ve heard from paramedics, she was in labour and they tried to save her baby.
“I got a huge fright when someone came to tell me Shaida was shot because my own daughter’s name is also Shaida.
“Shaida didn’t come here to us a lot, she spent most of her days in Zoo Park.”
Police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut says the circumstances surrounding the murder are being investigated. The suspects are unknown and have yet to be arrested.