Friends killed in East London

A quiet evening at home took a tragic turn for an East London mother who had to watch her son bleed to death in front of her.

The young man had been home with his family just 10 minutes before he was gunned down alongside four others.

Only one of the five victims survived the attack and is recovering at an East London hospital.

The gunmen are still on the loose.

Police have since appealed to anyone with information relating to the massacre in Scenery Park on Sunday night to come forward.

In an interview yesterday, Boniswa Bobani said they had all been at home and chatting as a family when her son, Esethu, 21, stood up and at 10pm said he was going to meet up with friends.

Minutes later, eight shots were fired.

Residents ran out into the street and found four people, between the ages of 20 and 29, lying in the road.

There was no sign of the shooter or shooters.

Esethu, his friend Lwando Miseli and two others whose names could not be verified at the time of writing yesterday had been shot.

“One of my neighbours came rushing to my house saying my son had been shot.

“My daughter [Esethu’s twin sister, Esona] went outside to the street and found four people lying on the ground,” Bobani said.

She said Esona turned Esethu over. He was still alive but died before the ambulance arrived.

“My son died right in front of me,” the distraught mother said.

The motive for the shooting is not known, but Bobani said there were rumours that it may have been linked to a burglary in Vergenoeg last week.

Bobani had been reunited with her son just a week ago after he was released from prison after spending six months behind bars.

“I know my son had his wayward ways and I had often spoken to him about this, but this time even the investigating officer told us he was not one of the suspects in the burglary they were accused of.”

Neighbours were at the Bobani home yesterday to support the grieving family.

Esona was too emotional to speak.

Eastern Cape police said an investigation was under way after three men and a woman, aged between 20 and 29, were found with gunshot wounds to their upper bodies.

A fifth victim survived the shooting and was taken to hospital.

The survivor, who is in ICU, fled the scene of the attack through the bushes and across a river.

He was found lying unconscious near the river and taken to hospital.

Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Sibongile Soci said the survivor told them that they were ambushed by four males, but could give no further information about them.

“Police were alerted by members of the community who came to the Scenery Park Community Service Centre to report the shooting incident.”

A resident, who did not want to be named as she feared for her safety, described the shooting as shocking.

She said drug use was rife in the area.

“The youth are in need of constructive activities.

“There is no art or youth centre, not even a stadium.

“Our children roam the streets straight after school and at night. Children as young as 14 are used to sell drugs.”

She said the killing of the four was not the first incident in the area.

A taxi driver was shot in the same road earlier this year.

“This place needs help because it is getting worse.”