Fury over Omar’s nephew’s killing

“IT IS surely time to rise up in protest and express our indignation at this and other tragedies‚” MP and chief Mandla Mandela said yesterday‚ as he sent condolences to the family of Shaheed Omar‚ the son of Dr Adam Omar and nephew of anti-apartheid activist Dullah Omar.

Shaheed Omar‚ 43‚ was driving with his mother Zubeida Omar when he was shot in Lansdowne‚ Cape Town‚ around 8.30pm on Thursday night.

His aunt and younger sister of the former minister of justice‚ Mariam Omar‚ said the family did not know the motive for the killing and described it as “senseless”.

“They didn’t take anything [and] he offered them the car and whatever they wanted‚ but they didn’t take anything. They just shot him and then left,” said Omar.

Mandela said in a statement the murder “deprives parents of a son‚ siblings of a brother‚ a family of a breadwinner and a community of a pillar of strength.

“We call on the South African Police Services to work together with their provincial and local government counterparts‚ and community safety structures‚ to devise a sustainable strategy to stop innocent civilians from losing their lives,” he added.

“The National Prosecuting Authority also has an important contribution to make. As do the people – all of us – for whom it is surely time to rise up in protest and express our indignation at this and other tragedies.” — DDC