'The shooting has to stop'

28 October 2016 - 09:12 By ARON HYMAN

Five days after a toddler was shot dead, a remarkable meeting took place between his grandmother and the mother of one of his alleged killers. The encounter, at Atlantis police station in Cape Town yesterday, was arranged by DA ward councillor Barbara Rass, who said she was desperately worried about the gang warfare gripping the community."This place is at boiling point," said Rass. "Another child shouldn't have to be killed. The shooting must stop. Those who are so embittered that they will look you in the face and shoot you dead have to come forward so that they can get counselling."The meeting between Jacqueline Marthinus and Sannah Renier was part of a "women for peace" campaign led by the councillor and although it ended inconclusively. Rass said she was encouraged that the women could talk calmly about the community's problems.She said other meetings had helped to reduce gang violence and drug crime in other townships.A 17-year-old and two 18-year-olds were denied bail in the Atlantis Magistrate's Court on Tuesday. They appeared in connection with the death on Saturday of Braydon Graff, who was killed when a stray bullet hit him after passing through his mother Rostan's arm. The teenagers will be back in court early next week.Braydon was "everything" to his father, Brandon Spence, a 23-year-old machine operator in Atlantis."I won't do anything to the boy who did it. I'm sad but I just want him to accept what he has done and to go to prison," Spence said."Braydon always had a smile. He liked to play; he didn't want to be in a house. After creche he just wanted to be with his mom and dad."..

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