Father watches as son gunned down

A SENIOR health department official in the Eastern Cape witnessed robbers shooting his son dead early yesterday.

Mthatha emergency services district manager Themba Mashwabana was hit in the face with a firearm while his 28-year-old son, whose name could not immediately be established yesterday, died instantly when he was shot in his upper body.

The incident happened shortly after midnight – and the police suspect it was a botched robbery.

“It is alleged that Mashwabana and his son were accosted by three unknown gunmen when they arrived at Mashwabana’s girlfriend’s house,” provincial police spokesman Captain Khaya Tonjeni said.

“It is further alleged that Mashwabana, his girlfriend and his son were ordered at gunpoint to go outside the house and to give the armed men their cellphones and they demanded car keys.

“The 28-year-old was shot in his upper body when he allegedly responded to fetch keys inside the house.

“The suspects fled the scene with the cellphones of the victims.

“One empty cartridge and a bullet from a 9mm firearm were picked up at the scene,” Tonjeni said.

Provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said Mashwabana had sustained injuries to his face from being hit with the firearm.

“He was admitted to the Mthatha Regional Hospital, but has already been discharged.

“It is a concern for us that paramedics are attacked – even though the father was not on duty at the time of the incident – as there have been many incidents of such a nature recently.

“One was attacked recently in Payne [a village just outside Mthatha] – we call on the police to leave no stone unturned to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book,” Kupelo said.

“We are saddened by the incident and send our condolences to the bereaved family on behalf of the MEC.”