Gift of the Givers volunteer dies in Cape Flats gang shootout

A humanitarian aid volunteer working for the Gift of the Givers agency was killed on the Cape Flats when he was caught in the crossfire between rival gangs.

In a statement‚ the aid agency said 28-year-old Ameerodien Noordien was shot dead in Hanover Park on Friday.

The organisation's founder‚ Dr Imtiaz Sooliman‚ said he was shot three times in the back and once in the head.

"How many more innocent deaths will it take? How many more young children must die violently and tragically? How many more parents and siblings must suffer anguish before we act decisively as a nation to stem the endemic community disorder of gangsterism‚ drugs and violence?" he asked.

In the statement‚ which he used to address police minister Bheki Cele‚ Sooliman said they need to make South Africa safer for its 57-million people could not be more urgent than the present.

"It is clear that you are trying your best to stem crime since taking office earlier this year despite the challenges of resources and personnel. Western Cape needs a Westbury style intervention and we call upon you to make this a reality‚" he said to Cele.

Sooliman said Noordien‚ wanted out of poverty in a dignified way through honesty‚ integrity‚ hard sweat and lawful earnings to take care of his family.

"His mother‚ Fatima‚ who is on dialysis‚ wanted to see the development of a righteous child‚ on the straight path‚ [who was] an asset to society. Ameerodien came into contact with Gift of the Givers in Cape Town earlier this year. We needed volunteers‚ but hire them as temporary paid staff‚ as many of them come from impoverished backgrounds.

"Moving‚ stacking‚ packing and distributing 300 containers of bottled water‚ and delivering thousands of bales of fodder [to farmers] in all of the [Western] Cape open [up] opportunities for youth like Ameerodien to earn an income‚ serve society‚ gain experience and learn skills. That opportunity was violently terminated yesterday [Friday]… [when he was] caught in the crossfire of those who act with impunity‚ who respect neither law‚ human value‚ the sanctity of life and get away time and time again.

"Innocent Ameerodien was killed. Decency‚ hope‚ aspiration‚ youth and vibrancy died at the hands of arrogance." Sooliman called on community and religious leaders‚ parents‚ business and society to collectively impart values and guide young people away from "the path of self-destruction and annihilation".

"It is time for gangsters to sit back‚ reflect and ponder the havoc‚ pandemonium‚ pain and suffering that they wreak."

He said the farming communities‚ which Noordien‚ had been helping‚ "who were so touched by the nobility of his character"‚ had started contributing to Gift of the Givers to help support Noordien's family.