BROTHER OF EXTORTION WITNESS BOY ALSO KILLED
Philippi family forced to flee for their safety
A PHILIPPI family have fled their Brown’s Farm home fearing further reprisals after their two sons were shot dead in a matter of 10 days.
The family’s nightmare started when Siseko Mkhize, 17, was killed in Siyahlala informal settlement on February 4 after he was seen filming alleged spaza shop extortionists with his cellphone in Colorado Road.
His older brother, Simphiwe Mkhize, has since also been murdered, leading the family to flee the area.
Siseko was shot several times with a rifle after the suspects chased him home and stormed his shack.
On Wednesday, 10 days after the murder, the family and community members had just concluded an evening prayer when unknown assailants opened fire on them, killing Simphiwe and wounding two others.
The prayer service was the last one before Siseko’s body was to be transported to the Eastern Cape last Thursday.
A resident said: “Earlier that day, a car with four occupants warned the family to leave the area. At the time, they were busy with the arrangements of Siseko’s funeral. He was to be buried on Saturday.
“When the prayer service was over, unknown people started shooting at the people there and Simphiwe was killed.
“This has sent fear to the rest of their family and they have decided to move from the area because they don’t know what the killers want.”
Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said they were investigating murder and attempted murder cases.
“Nyanga police are investigating a murder case and two counts of attempted murder cases following a shooting incident on Wednesday evening in Colorado Road, Brown’s Farm, where an adult male was shot and fatally wounded and two others wounded.
“Police members attended the crime scene where they found the victims with gunshot wounds to their bodies.
“The adult male was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel, while the other two victims were taken to a medical facility for treatment.
“The motive for the attack is yet to be established. The suspects are yet to be arrested.”
A leaked report read: “The victim was busy recording suspects, busy extorting a spaza shop. The suspects saw him making a video and started chasing him.
“He ran to a shack where he stayed and was followed. The boy then ran into his home and closed the door. One suspect fired two shots at the door and kicked the door open.”
The document stated that the suspect demanded his cellphone, which had the evidence.
The suspects reportedly took the wrong cellphone and left Siseko’s phone, which was then confiscated
When the prayer service was over, unknown people started shooting at the people there and Simphiwe was killed.
A RESIDENT WHO ASKED TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS
by the police.
He was rushed to the nearest hospital, where he was declared dead.
Meanwhile, releasing the third-quarter crime statistics for 2023/24 at the weekend, Police Minister Bheki Cele said that from April last year, more than 61 suspects linked to extortion were arrested.
Since 2019, 27 accused were convicted for a collective 43 years’ direct imprisonment.
This followed after 431 murders were linked to vigilantism and mob justice attacks.
“Among the top five stations where murders were reported are in Inanda in KZN, and Mfuleni, Gugulethu, Nyanga and Khayelitsha in the Western Cape.
“It is disturbing and concerning that the number of people murdered during this period increased by 2.1%, leading to 155 more people murdered as compared to the same period,” said Cele.
Anyone with information about the murders is requested to contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111.
Information may be shared anonymously.