Family in mourning after son shot on way to school

A FATHER said he was still trying to get into terms with the death of his 15-yearold son.

Rafeeq Kalam was gunned down while on his way to school in Bonteheuwel on Friday.

The grief-stricken father, Gabobedien Kalam, spoke to the Cape Argus yesterday after returning from visiting Rafeeq’s grave with his eldest son.

“I was there to pray for him and it was so emotional that both my son and I started crying; he was my baby, the youngest of my sons and I have lost him now.”

Rafeeq was shot in Juniper Street on his way to Modderdam High School. He was in Grade 8. “The possibility that this can be gang related will be investigated. A murder case was opened for investigation, and there have been no arrests yet,” said police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk.

Kalam remembers the last time he saw his son alive. “He jumped into our bed and massaged my back because I had been complaining about it. After the massage he said to me ‘don’t worry it will all be alright’ – those are his last words.”

Kalam said after that Rafeeq had left for school and they heard gunshots.

“A friend of mine came rushing in telling me it was my son who was being shot at.”

He rushed to the scene and found his son lying in a pool of blood.

“I still can’t take that image out of my head. I am struggling to understand why anyone would kill him. He was not a gangster, he was a soccer lover.”

Van Wyk asked anyone with information to contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111.