HOPE Cape Town mourns murdered young patient
HOPE Cape Town has joined all South Africans in condemning the senseless murder of a 13-year-old boy in the Western Cape community of Wesbank at the weekend.
The boy, who had been in the care of HOPE Cape Town for many years, was caught in gang related crossfire and died from a bullet wound to the head.
According to spokesperson for the organisation, Mr Fahim Docrat, “We are outraged by this act of violence and are personally affected especially because of the relationship we had with this young man. We have supported him and his family for many years now and were very pleased with his progress and the bright future he had. It is unacceptable that our children are exposed to such violence on a daily basis and is an indictment on our society raising serious concerns. The levels of crime in such communities and the underlying socio-economic factors need to be addressed as a matter of urgency and we call on government for support and intervention and communities to take a stand against crime. This further highlights the dangers our 24 HOPE Community Health Workers face on a daily basis when working in such communities.”
HOPE Cape Town is supporting the family by assisting with funeral arrangements for this weekend.
It was a shocking news last Monday morning that one of our patients died in the cross fire of gang related violence. But it also makes very clear in which environment we are working in. Especially thinking of some of our volunteers who know shootings only from TV and can somehow not realize that people here not stand up again after being shot. Violence is in general quite a problem. Home visits by our staff can often not be made because of the danger for the life and well-being of our employees. Afterschool Care in Manenberg might be interrupted because gang violence prevents kids from even coming to the church grounds.
Violence is not only a topic related to gangs – violence is also part and parcel of almost every toi-toi or demonstration taking place in the country. People being involved in such action tend to forget their medication take in times or even the appointments with clinics and doctors as they fight for better sanitation or more money or whatever is the case. So violence has many faces, but all of them are stumbling blocks for better care, prevention and treatment. Paired with drugs and alcohol the situation only can get worse or ends up in such a violent fight which kills also innocent bystanders like this boy in Wesbank.
Let’s hope that the culprits will be found and brought to justice, but as much as I know the justice system it would be a miracle if that happens in due time and anyhow, it does not bring back the youngster who had a full life in front of him.
Filed under: General, HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Politics and Society, Reflection, Society and living environment, Aids, bullet wound, cape town, caregiver, carer, crime, cross-fire, Delft, Fahim Docrat, gang violence, gangs, hiv, HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, hope community health worker, murder, patient, senseless murder, violence, Wesbank
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