A traumatised Parkwood, Cape Town, mother whose 11-year-old son was caught in the crossfire between rival gangs and shot in the head, trembled as she watched the life support system that had kept her son alive being switched off.

The tragedy unfolded on Tuesday 8 September at 3.27pm in the Red Cross Children’s Hospital where Janelle Classen was at the bedside of her son Nahemiah. Doctors conducted emergency surgery on Monday to try to save the boy’s life, but switched the life support machines off on Tuesday.

In a heart-rending voice message to a family member, the mother said: “You can tell the people the machine has been switched off.”

A prayer walk held on Monday night in Parkwood. (Photo supplied)

The shooting happened on Monday 7 September at about 11am in Parkers Walk, where Nahemiah was playing in the street. The road separates the Mongrels and Six Bob gangs, who are locked in a deadly war for supremacy in the lucrative drug trade in the gang-infested area.

Residents, speaking on condition of anonymity in fear of reprisal attacks, said the Mongrels had wanted to eliminate a member of the Six Bobs, and the bullet intended for a gang member struck the innocent boy in his head. He slumped to the ground with blood pouring from a gaping wound at the back of his head.

While doctors tried to save his life on Monday evening, residents and community leaders, under the watchful eye of the police, held a prayer walk. A call was made to parents to stop harbouring gunmen and gangsters and concealing the crimes their own children were committing. The alleged killer, a 22-year-old suspected drug dealer, was arrested shortly after the shooting. Two others were also arrested for allegedly harbouring the shooter.

Maverick Citizen visited the boy’s home on Tuesday afternoon but was not allowed to enter the house. A family member, Chad Crowley, said everyone inside the house was traumatised as the news of Nahemiah’s death had just been conveyed to them. A large number of alleged gang members were sitting on the corners of the road and out of respect for the boy’s death had called a ceasefire.

Nahemiah Classen.
(Photo: Supplied)

Local community leader and pastor Paul Phillips said: “It is war between warring gangs. Not even the Covid-19 regulations could stop the gun battles. We only had a few nights of peace in the area. The gun battles were the worst at night.”

Maverick Citizen was told that the Junky Funky Kidz and the Mongrels have joined forces in fighting against the Six Bobs for control of the drug trade in Parkers Walk. Just 300m separate the rival gangs.

“The situation is so bad in our area that we as leaders manned the streets in the mornings to make sure our children get safely to school. We have noticed that gang shootings usually start when the children go to school,” said Phillips.

He said gangs in the area have recently recruited teens between the ages of 15 and 17. They are handed guns and must commit an atrocious crime to get a number in the gang. The gravity of the crimes committed by teens in the area was exemplified last week when the police arrested six boys, between the ages of 13 and 16, in connection with the rape of a mentally ill woman. Last month a 60-year-old woman was shot and killed while driving through the gang-infested area. The incident happened at the corners of Parkers Walk and Acacia Road.

After the news of the death of Nahemiah became known, Parkwood residents observed a minute of silence. Activist Rashaad Allen said the entire community was mourning with the family and would assist in funeral arrangements. “We are going to use this platform for peace negotiations,” he added.

Melvin Jonkers, chairperson of the Grassy Park Community Policing Forum (CPF), conveyed his condolences and reiterated that the CPF was concerned that yet another child had been robbed of a future.

“It would appear that every effort by the police and community to get rid of the guns in the area just seems to be so futile in the face of unbridled gangsterism and drug dealing in our community. For far too long have the gangs been holding our community in their dirty clutches.

“The CPF calls upon the community to support the police in its efforts to identify the hiding place of gangsters and their guns. We also call upon the SAPS to bring in all the necessary forces to deal with the scourge once and for all,” he said.

Jonkers said police must make sure the case against the shooter is watertight, adding that gangsters cannot be allowed to operate with impunity. The CPF is working closely with the Grassy Park SAPS and the Anti-Gang Unit to ensure that the perpetrator will receive the maximum penalty for the murder.

Police spokesperson Andre Traut confirmed the arrest of a 22-year-old suspect in connection with the murder, adding that the suspect was due to appear in the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court once he has been charged. DM/MC

Maverick Citizen has published a series of interviews with mothers who have lost their children in the senseless gang war. One of the mothers is Avril Andrews.