Shooter’s victim wishes to meet him after two decades
MBOMBELA - Solly Phiri, who survived a shooting in Weltevreden in November 1996, still wishes to meet
Mark Dowes, who had opened fire at innocent people.
The headline on the front page of Lowvelder dated November 29, 1996, read “Crazed man goes on a killing spree”.
Dowes went on a killing spree at Halt Transport Company after being involved in a car accident with one of their vehicles. He shot dead two people and injured another two. Phiri, who was a clerk back then, was the first victim. He was shot twice, once in the back, which bullet exited his throat, and once in his chest.
Phiri was at risk of permanently losing his voice. Today, it is still hoarse. The doctor originally said it would be a permanent situation.
Phiri said he still has some questions that he would like Dowes to answer, and that maybe then he would be able to make peace with what happened to him, get closure and reconcile with his shooter.
“After the shooting, I had to use a spray to obtain oxygen. I had to survive on exercising now and then. The scars are always a reminder of what nearly changed my life, even though I am grateful I have survived the shooting,” Phiri said.
He also remembered that he nearly died of suffocation while asleep in the hospital while his wound was still raw, but was helped by another patient who had pressed the emergency button. “If it weren’t for the people close to me, fellow church members and my family, I would not have made it.
But their support forced me to fight for my life, because they made me realise I still have a reason to live,” he said.
Despite losing his voice, he was only compensated with R3 300. His wish is to also meet the other victims who were also shot on that fateful day. “My wish is to write a book about what happened, or get to filmmakers to film a documentary or short movie about what happened to the victims,” he concluded.
Lowvelder could not reach Dowes to find out if he was willing to reconcile with any of his victims.