4-Year-Old Shot Dead Days Before Birthday

Just two days before his birthday, four-year-old Davin Afrika was shot and killed while sleeping next to his pregnant mother in Wesbank, Cape Town.

The brutal attack occurred on Friday night, when a gunman opened fire on their Wendy house from outside. Two bullets struck Davin in the back, ending his young life instantly. A 30-year-old man in a nearby servant’s quarters was also hit multiple times but survived.

Family Devastated by Gang Violence

Davin’s aunt, Letania Smith (31), described the horrifying moment she arrived at the scene:

“When I got there, my nephew was still lying there, and the police had not yet arrived. The shooter fired from outside, and the police later recovered 25 bullet casings.”

This is not the first time tragedy has struck the family. In November 2023, Davin’s 12-year-old cousin, Kelly-Amber Koopman, was shot in the head during a gang-related incident.

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“My sister has now lost two children to gang bullets. She is five months pregnant and left with only a three-year-old daughter.”

Smith revealed that gang wars between the Americans and the Dixie Boys have escalated in Wesbank, with daily shootings, particularly on Sundays.

Community Calls for Action

Residents say police response has been inadequate, with crime escalating out of control.

“The police don’t patrol. When my neighbour was shot in the field, police only arrived after I stopped a van on the main road. He could have lived if they came sooner,” Smith lamented.

Elvina Cleghorn, founder of the Wesbank Women’s Movement, is calling for a satellite police station, arguing that the Mfuleni police station is failing the community.

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“We have protested, we have petitioned, but still, nothing changes. Guns confiscated by police somehow find their way back to the streets.”

Police Investigation Underway

Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed that murder and attempted murder cases have been opened.

“The motive for the attack is yet to be determined. The suspects fled the scene and have not been arrested.”

Authorities urge anyone with information to contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111.

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