PEOPLE'S POST | MITCHELL'S PLAIN Thursday, 5 December 2013
NEW WOODLANDS: DRUG TURF WAR RAGES ON
Girl (6) killed in crossfire
LAILA MAJIET @laila_newsie
A 23-year-old man has been arrested after a play date on the streets of New Woodlands turned into a bloody crime scene. Two children were caught in the crossfire of what has been dubbed a “raging gang war”. And while one mother is glad her child escaped with a minor flesh wound to the leg, another family is grieving the loss of their six-year-old daughter. Hope van der Merwe (6) and Jayden Das (5) were playing in Alexis Preller Street when they were caught in a hail of bullets. The little girl was shot in the head while the boy sustained only minor injuries, confirm police officials. It is believed the Fancy Boys and Junior Mafias are embroiled in a drug turf war, causing an endless string of gunshots to ring out at all hours of the day and night in the neighbourhood. Suspected gangsters gathered in a play park on Monday evening just metres from where Hope’s family are still strug- IN THE LINE OF FIRE: Little Jayden Das (5) with his gling to come to terms with her untimely mother Hestrolita shortly after the shooting in New death. Woodlands in which a girl was fatally shot. Jayden Relatives comforted each other as was left with a flesh wound to the leg after being tears streamed down their faces while caught in the crossfire. PHOTO: LAILA MAJIET little children play seemingly unaffected She quickly rushed outside and saw Hope by the tragedy. Hope’s foster father Daniel Pockpas says lying face down on the floor, she says. “I quickly went to where her body was lythe little girl was the glue that held the famiing. In such a state of disbelief I checked ly together. “We cared for her since she was eight days twice to see if it was in fact Hope. It was then old. She was given to us for such a short peri- that Jayden told me ‘Ma, I am bleeding’.” Hope was expected to started Grade 1 next od of time, but taught us so much,” he fondly year. recalls. The close community of Alexis Preller With an infectious laugh, Hope touched Street says everyone was excited for her. people’s lives. A woman, who spoke to People’s Post on “She was an extraordinary child. What she learned at school she would relay to us condition of anonymity, says the gangsters each night. As young as she was, she always grew up in front of them. “The surge in gang shootings began when reminded us to turn to God when in difficulthe son of a known gangster was shot in the ty,” Pockpas says. Hestrolita Das, Jayden’s mother, says she area in April. A petrol-bombing followed was at work when she received the news. soon after and things have never been the “All my boss told me was that my son was same since,” the 56-year-old says. Another New Woodlands resident of 27 sick. I thought the worst and knew that something serious must be wrong for my years says no one feels safe any longer. “Before we could sit outside and enjoy the mother to not have called me, as my son was company of our neighbours. This was a unitin her care at the time,” Hestrolita says. Grandmother Joan Mentoor says chaos ed community, now divided by drug turf wars,” the resident says. erupted on the street after the shooting. The suspect is due to appear in the Mitch“Jayden was with me outside as I was talking to a neighbour. I hadn’t realised he had ell’s Plain Magistrate’s Court on Thursday left my side though until I came back into 5 December on charges of murder and atthe house. I heard four gunshots and told tempted murder. myself someone was hit in the crossfire, but V Anyone with information can call the investigating I didn’t think it could be my grandson,” officer Detective Constable Reyneveld on (021) 377 5000 or 082 411 2382. Mentoor recalls.
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