Child, 2, and dad die in apparent hit in Western Cape

Gunmen opened fire on a father and his toddler son in Bonteheuwel on Wednesday evening, in what appears to be a targeted hit.

The father died on the scene. His two-year-old son died after being taken to the Red Cross Children’s Hospital.

Bishop Lavis police are probing the shooting.

“Reports indicate that a 31-year-old man was walking from a nearby shop on Bonteheuwel Avenue at 7.15pm, carrying the child, when a vehicle stopped next to them.

“Two unidentified males climbed out and started shooting at the pair.”

Western Cape minister of community safety, Albert Fritz, named the victims as Moegamat and Zhario Johnson.

“Mr Johnson died on the scene last night. His son, Zhario, was critically wounded and succumbed to his injuries in hospital this morning,” he said.

Fritz said he had received the assurance that police were working hard to apprehend the culprits. He called for anyone who could help the police identify the perpetrators to come forward.

The Anti-Gang Unit and other resources have been deployed in areas which are experiencing a flare-up of gang-related violence, said Fritz.

“Since the weekend, we have seen a spike in alleged gang-related shootings within Manenberg, Lentegeur, Bonteheuwel, Beacon Valley, Lavender Hill, among others. There have been numerous incidents in which children have been affected by the renewed violence that has broken out since we shifted to lockdown level 3.

“Gangs are taking advantage of the reduced alert level to settle scores and cause havoc in communities. We will not allow this to happen.”