Boy,10 killed in drive-by shooting
A 10-YEAR-OLD old Mitchells Plain boy shot and killed in a drive-by shooting was remembered as a “happy” boy who loved dogs, cars and family.
Jethro’s grandmother, Naomi Fritz, sobbed as she remembered her grandson, known to family and friends as “Jety”.
Jethro was killed on Saturday afternoon while a passenger in a car driven by Capt Jacques Edas, his neighbour, who gave a lift to Lin Min, a Chinese businesswoman who owns KTC Family Store.
Along with Edas’ grandson, Jaymar Peterson, 3, they were on their way to Makro in Ottery to buy stock for Lin Min when gunmen opened fire on the car. Jethro was hit in the head and Edas was injured. The others escaped unhurt.
“We are heartbroken over the loss of our grandson, he was everything to us,” said Fritz. “He loved Captain Jacques and his family like they were his family too. He spent most of his time in Jacques’s house because he saw Jacques as his hero.”
Suraya Theron, Jethro’s neighbour, remembers Jethro as a “hands-on boy”.
“Jethro was unlike other boys, he wasn’t lazy, he always ask me if I wanted anything from the shop, with a smile on his face,” said Theron.
Jacques’s wife, Amelia Edas, said Jethro was her child too, and she believed he took the bullet for their grandson, Jaymar.
“Jethro was sitting on the front seat where Jaymar likes to sit, but the day the incident happened Jethro was on that seat, that is why I say he took that bullet for Jaymar.”
Jethro was a pupil at Yellowwood Primary. The family said he wanted to be a policeman one day.
“Jethro loved to wear my husband’s work clothing, especially the bulletproof vest, when he was in my house, because he was fascinated about being a policeman.
“He will always be in my heart, may his beautiful soul rest in peace,” she said.
Amelia Edas said her husband was still in shock and traumatised. “He is not in a good condition to speak now.”
Police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana said the officer was taken to a medical facility for treatment.
She confirmed that a case of murder and attempted murder was being investigated, and that no arrests had been made yet.