- In the midst of gang crossfire, a 12-year-old girl trag!cally lost her life in the presence of teachers and fellow pupils.
- The incident occurred outside her Cape Town school on Tuesday morning.
- Despite efforts from staff and parents to resuscitate her, she was declared dead at the scene.
The grieving father, Haroon Kleinsmidt, uttered the heartbreaking words as he shared the trag!c incident with News24. His 12-year-old daughter, Firdous, fell victim to gang crossfire at her Cape Town school on Tuesday morning. Kleinsmidt, too overwhelmed with emotion, had to cut short the interview with News24.
Firdous, a Grade 7 student at Ieglaasi Nieyah Primary School, was shot in the presence of a teacher, parents, and fellow pupils. The emotional father mentioned Firdous’s love for Simba chips and singing, recalling her voice filling their home.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi stated that the girl was caught in crossfire during a clash between rival gangs, with the shooting occurring around 11:20. Firdous was laid to rest on Wednesday afternoon.
Firdous succumbed to her injuries on the spot. In connection with the sh*oting, a 27-year-old man has been apprehended by the police.
An eyewitness described the harrowing scene, explaining that a teacher was recording the names of pupils ready to board their scholar transport when g*nfire erupted. Firdous, in the process of providing her grade and first name, was trag!cally shot before she could share her surname.
Struck in the eye, she collapsed, prompting others to urge fellow girls to take cover on the floor. Remarkably, the bullet narrowly missed the teacher standing in close proximity to Firdous. Parents and teachers swiftly came to her aid, attempting resuscitation and providing immediate care for the gunshot wound.
A woman, choosing to remain anonymous, revealed that she, too, tried to administer CPR to Firdous, expressing the deep distress that unfolded at the school.
Bronagh Hammond, spokesperson for the Western Cape education department, clarified that Ieglaasi Nieyah Primary School is an independent institution not under the department’s jurisdiction. Despite this, she noted that the department offered counseling support to the school. As an independent school, no official reports on the incident had been received by the department.
Solomon Philander, the ward councillor, highlighted the concerning pattern of violence, noting it was the second sh*oting in the area within two days. Beacon Valley, prone to gang shootings, witnessed this incident between two schools in broad daylight. Philander emphasized the need for collective action against g*ngs and announced plans for a prayer walk to address g*ngsterism in the community.
Reagen Allen, Western Cape Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC, expressed deep anger over the incident and extended condolences to the victim’s family, fellow learners, and school staff. Anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee, moved by the tragedy, called for urgent government intervention to address rising cr!me levels on the Cape Flats.
Abramjee highlighted police inaction and the failure to dismantle gang syndicates, urging the justice system to recognize the urgency of the situation. Abie Isaacs, chairperson of the Cape Flats Safety Forum, revealed that residents staged a demonstration outside Ieglaasi Nieyah Primary School, calling for a complete overhaul of the Mitchells Plain police station and improved intelligence to combat gangs effectively.