A 17-year-old from Philippi was murdered for allegedly recording three men who were demanding protection fee from a spaza shop. The incident happened in Siyahlala informal settlement in Brown’s Farm on Sunday 04 February in the evening.
It is alleged that the boy was at the spaza shop when the men arrived and demanded money from a spaza shop owner. The boy was recording the incident when the one of the thugs noticed him. He then ran away, and the men chased him all the way to his house.
“When he got home, he closed and locked the door but the thugs’ fired shots through the door injuring him. He was shot twice on the chest and shoulder,” said a neighbour who didn’t want his name disclosed.
After shooting the men entered the house to collect a phone which the boy was using to record the incident. Luckily, a resident said the men took a “wrong phone” and left behind the one that had the recording. The phone was taken by Nyanga police as part of the investigation.
Community leader in Philippi Zoliswa Ngculu says they are terrified by the incident. “These protection fee people do not respect life. People are living in fear after this incident,” she said.
Nyanga CPF secretary Dumisani Qwabe is calling for residents to report any information to police. “The community must work with police to catch these killers,” he said.
Police spokesman Colonel Malcolm Pojie said a murder investigation is underway.
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