Two children, an eight-year-old and a one-year-old, were shot and killed in the Lotus informal settlement in Gugulethu township, Cape Town on Monday.
The tragedy happened around 4pm when a group of criminals were shooting at each other.
Loyolla Mfundisi was playing with her younger brother Khanide when they were caught in the deadly crossfire.
Bomkazi Mfundisi, the victims’ mother, was at work at the time.
“I received a call from family members telling me to come home urgently,” she said.
“It never crossed my mind that I was called to come home because my kids had been shot. When I got there, I could see on people’s faces that something bad had happened but still I didn’t think that something may have happened to my kids.”
She said she heard that the kids were playing next to her house when the incident happened.
“When she heard gunshots she ran outside to save her younger brother,” said Bomkazi.
“While she was dragging her younger brother who had already been shot, she was also shot.”
The mother said losing the children like this was unbearable.
“It is painful to lose my children in this way,” she said.
“I could understand it if they were sick and in and out of hospital or maybe if I had given them medication. But I woke up and left them healthy and the next thing they are gone, just like that,” said Bomkazi.
Western Cape spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said Gugulethu police are investigating two counts of murder following a shooting incident in NY3A on Monday afternoon in which a one-year-old boy and an eight-year-old girl were shot and fatally wounded.
“According to reports, the victims were playing outside when unknown men started shooting at each other. The children were caught in the crossfire and were transported to a local hospital where they were declared deceased,” said Sergeant Twigg.
The suspects fled the scene and are yet to be arrested.
Pictured above: Loyolla Mfundisi and her younger brother Khanide.
Image source: Supplied
