Cape Town - As schools closed for the June holidays on Friday, two teenagers were murdered in separate incidents, leaving their families heartbroken.
One of them was shot as he went to school to fetch his report in Lower Crossroads.
The other, Linathi Makinana, 18, was with his friends when he was killed in Ocean View. Makinana’s mother said she believes her son was killed because of jealousy.
The Grade 11 learner at Masiphumelele High School was hacked with a panga and died in hospital.
Xoliswa Makinana, 54, said: “I was at work when I received a call at around 2pm telling me that my son had been injured.
“I went to the hospital and seeing him in that condition will forever haunt me. The suspects broke his skull with the panga, and peeled the flesh off his ribs to the point that the bones were exposed.”
Makinana said shortly after she left the hospital, while doctors were still busy with him, she received another call to tell her that her son had died.
Makinana said the killers had been baying for her son’s blood.
“For about three years, Linathi had been stabbed and chased by some boys who hated that he was stylish.
“I bought him good clothes. Even his friends were also attacked. This was all because of jealousy.
“Things were so bad that he couldn’t even go to the shop or school alone. He was always at home either watching TV or listening to music.
“Last year, he was stabbed in the leg and I decided that he must go to the Eastern Cape, but he didn’t find a school and so after the Easter holiday I brought him back. even though I wasn’t comfortable with it.”
She explained that on Friday, he decided to go to a place near the clinic where he used the free wi-fi.
“He was with his friends when this happened. When the armed group arrived they all ran away. He was about to run into someone’s yard when they grabbed him. After attacking him, the suspects were heard shouting that the dog had died.
“The painful thing is that we know the suspects because they are our neighbours.
“We are now waiting for their families to come and at least acknowledge what their children did,” Makinana said.
Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said Ocean View police registered a murder case for investigation.
“The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation. The suspects are yet to be arrested.”
Twigg also said Philippi East police registered a murder case for investigation following the shooting in Soliyanthi Street, Lower Crossroads, on Friday morning, in which a 19-year-old scholar was shot and fatally wounded.
“Police members attended a complaint of a shooting and upon arrival on the scene they found the victim with a gunshot wound to his head.
“The victim was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel.
“The suspect fled the scene and is yet to be arrested. The motive for the attack forms part of the police investigation,” Twigg said.
Anyone with information is requested to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za
Cape Argus