A young Mitchells Plain boy was tragically shot and killed while walking to a local tuckshop with a friend. The incident, which occurred amid ongoing gang violence in the area, has left the community in shock and mourning.
The victim, 14-year-old Ganief Layman, had spent the day helping his family sell fruits and vegetables at a stalletjie (stall) in Woodlands before becoming the latest casualty of gang-related shootings. His sister, Ghakeema Salaam-Madatt, 26, expressed the family’s disbelief and sorrow as they stood helplessly over his body.
“My brother was just 14 years old, and he had spent the day working at the stalletjie in Woodlands where they sell fruits and vegetables,”
she shared.
On Thursday night, Ganief was one of three people struck by gunfire as gangsters opened fire in Vancouver Street, Hyde Park, Tafelsig. Gang violence in the area has escalated in recent weeks, with residents increasingly fearful for their safety. Ganief’s death is one more devastating reminder of the dangers plaguing the community.
The shooting, which took place as the boys were simply walking to the tuckshop, saw Ganief fatally shot twice in the chest, while his friend was also injured, taking a bullet to the leg.
“We were told that they just stopped and were shooting in the road and his friend was also shot in the leg,”
Ghakeema explained, recalling that witnesses had identified the gunmen’s vehicle as a blue Toyota Etios.
The incident has sparked further investigations by the authorities. Police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi, confirmed that the Mitchells Plain police are currently investigating a case of murder, along with two counts of attempted murder.
“The victim was declared deceased on the scene by the medical personnel,”
Swartbooi said. He further provided details about the other two victims, both young men aged 19 and 20, who had also been injured in the attack.
“Two males aged 19 and 20 who also sustained gunshot wounds were transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment,”
Swartbooi added, before confirming that the perpetrators had fled the scene and were still at large.
The police believe that the motive for this brutal attack was gang-related, a conclusion shared by many local residents who have been witnessing a surge in violence in Tafelsig, a notorious “red zone” in Mitchells Plain.
Community leaders have voiced their frustration and fear as gun violence continues to claim lives, especially those of innocent children. Veranique “Benji” Williams, the vice chairperson of the Mitchell’s Plain Community Police Forum, spoke out about the crisis gripping the community.
“It is very sad to see what our community is going through and especially our innocent children being hurt in this violence,”
Williams said. She called on parents to protect their children and urged the community to come together to support local safety efforts.
“We call on the community to keep their children safe inside and not let them go to shop at night,”
Williams added, emphasizing the need for collective action.
In her call for greater community involvement, Williams highlighted the importance of sharing information with the authorities to ensure that those responsible for these violent crimes are apprehended.
“The community needs to come out in their numbers and join the safety structures and stop keeping quiet and help share information so the police can keep these suspects behind bars. It is raining bullets in Tafelsig,”
she said, painting a grim picture of the escalating violence in the area.
