Emotions were high in Oceanview following the senseless shooting of a 7-year-old girl on Tuesday afternoon. Emaan Solomons was killed by a stray bullet in a suspected gang-related shooting while in the yard of her home. She was wounded in the chest and hand and died in hospital. A 31-year-old man was also shot in Andromeda Way and died due to his injuries.
Emaan’s family and neighbours were visibly overcome with emotion when speaking about what occurred the night before. Neighbour Joseph Redelinghuis said he was standing and watching Emaan and his daughters play ‘pat-a-cake’ when the first gunshot went off. He told the girls to run inside and while Emaan was running to her house, she fell down. He described the moments that followed as indescribable and all he remembered was holding the little girl in his arms and whispering to her to stay awake and not close her eyes.
“I grabbed her and held her. She was still alive when she left here. Her death really wasn’t necessary…” he said breaking down.
Redelinghuis said that his daughters are traumatised and confused with the death of their best friend. Emaan’s grief-stricken father Azmir Oosthuizen said when he received the message of a girl being shot in Libra Way the only thing he said was “let it not be my girl”.
When arriving close to the road where Emaan was shot, a neighbour broke the horrible news. Oosthuizen said it felt as if she was waiting for him and all he could do was hold her as she took her last breath.
“I can’t put it in words…I can’t deal with seeing my daughter like that. She didn’t deserve to go like that. She’s so mashallah…my only daughter,” said a tearful Oosthuizen.
WATCH: Here her grief-stricken father Azmir Oosthuisen describes those ensuing moments
Oosthuizen expressed his frustration with the delayed response by the ambulance. When the paramedics transferred Emaan into the ambulance, Oosthuizen said the medic informed him that resuscitation wasn’t an option because Emaan’s brain had been too long without oxygen. When they got to the hospital, the doctors tried their utmost best to resuscitate her, but it was too late.
Her emotional parents said they will remember her as a spirited child with a lively personality.
“She was happy, funny, joyful, heart-warming and extremely loving,” said her mother Kashifah Solomon, who kept a brave face.
Her father said he broke down crying when he spoke to her teacher this morning as the learners are in a complete state of shock.
Family and friends sympathise with the bereaved mother Kashiefah
Community members standing outside the home said are angry and distressed as their children are all in danger no matter what time of day it is. They are scared to have their children playing outside, going to the shop and even going to school because of incessant gang violence.
“The park in the road that the gangsters are always in will be fenced up and there will be someone put in the park to watch the children and to make sure they are safe,” said ward councillor Patricia Franke.
Western Cape police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said police are patrolling the area, but the situation is calm at present. She said police are investigating two murder cases.
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