Anger after Cape Town girl‚ 11‚ shot in head after 'gangster' used her as a shield

A report of an 11-year-old girl‚ shot in the head as she was used as a shield by an alleged gangster‚ has sparked outrage.

The Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) has expressed its ''disgust'' at the ''inhumane'' actions of the man who used her to protect himself from the bullets of rival gangsters. The child was hit in the head and has been hospitalised.

The gangs could more correctly be labelled as terrorists and were a threat to the country‚ the council said.

It said community forums and religious leaders had indicated gangsters had "'military-issued weapons in their possession''. For this reason‚ said the council‚ the state should intervene.

"The duty of the state is to protect its citizens. The state has to ensure that law and order prevails in society." Threats and intimidation of witnesses in gang trials had led to the "abortion of judiciary proceedings"

The incident happened on Sunday. Community radio station Voice of the Cape quoted Elsies River Community Policing Forum vice-chairman Imraahn Mukaddam‚ who said the alleged gangster ran into a shop in Elsies River. Shots had been fired at him and he used the child for protection. "We feel that it is a cowardly act to use a civilian; it’s not a stray bullet – he actually pulled the young girl in front of him while he was being attacked‚'' Mukaddam told the station.