“As I was lying down, I heard one of the culprits shouting ‘kancane abantwana’, after that I heard several other gunshots,” this is how the owner of a Site C barber shop summed up the horrific killing of four children inside his establishment (“Massacre” City Vision, 13 June).
The owner, whose identity has been withheld for safety reasons, said he pretended to be dead until the perpetrators drove away.
“At the time some of the children were on top of me. I felt some changes in their weight. They became heavy,” he added.
The owner shared the gory details at a memorial service held at the local Methodist church last week, Thursday 13 June.
He also announced the business would remain closed to pay respect to the deceased.
Relating how the drama began, the owner said he was busy with one of the deceased [Lunje Chomo (10)] when the shooting started.
He instructed the people inside to lie down.
“The shooting started at the other stall that sold tripe. Its owner (Bafana Jikane) was killed. I heard several gunshots. Some of the bullets came through the wall of my barber shop,” he said.
He explained that he tried to save the kids and some of them fell on him while he lay on his back on the floor.
“Some of the children who were in the barber shop lay on top of me as I was lying on my back,” he explained. He said the culprits were shooting randomly. One of his customers was shot in the head while he tried to look at what was happening outside. The injured customer was taken to hospital.
According to the owner the perpetrators drove away in a Toyota Quantum. After the perpetrators left he said he realised the children were dead. Some were covered in blood.
He said when he went outside there were people, and Bafana was lying dead in his stall.
He said since he started his business in 2018 he had never been robbed or intimidated.
“People in my area know me and love me. Even children are always coming into my barber shop to stay with me. Lunje was one of the children who used to come and stay with me in the barber shop almost every day. I’m a people’s person.”
The owner said he was still traumatised by the incident and wondering why they were attacked.
