Deceased teen’s family lash out over innocent people killed over decades

FRIENDS and relatives of slain teenager Tracy-Lee Anthony, who was shot in the face at point-blank range last week, gathered to protest outside Wynberg Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Brandishing placards bearing anti-gangsterism slogans after Tracy-Lee, 16, was killed in an alleged gang-related shooting in Lotus River last Wednesday, the group also highlighted ineffective governance and poor policing.

Appearing in court was a 17-year-old boy, who has been charged with murder. The boy cannot be named as he is a juvenile and is in custody at a place of safety.

Yesterday, he was assessed by a social worker before appearing in court for a preliminary inquiry.

State prosecutor TraceyLynn King said the details and outcome of the inquiry could not be disclosed as court proceedings were held in camera.

Tracy-Lee’s father Peter, 42, said his daughter’s death had angered the family and the Lotus River community, who are fed up with gangsterism.

“I’ve lived here for more than 30 years and the gangs are still killing innocents. When will we be able to take back our streets?” he told the Cape Times on Sunday.

The Life Changers Foundation (LCF), a non-governmental organisation which offers rehabilitation programmes for gangsters, joined protesters outside court yesterday.

LCF chief executive Brandon Eckhardt, who is a reformed gangster from the area, said the government and police were failing communities on the Cape Flats.

“Innocent people have been dying for decades due to gangsterism, yet today we are faced with the same dilemma.

“We have ganglords living in leisure, in renovated council houses no less, and the mothers and fathers of innocent children killed by gangsters have to walk past these monsters’ homes and watch helplessly as they go about their bloody business.

“What type of a sick society is this? The government is simply not doing enough and police are failing, too,” said Eckhardt.

Magistrate Vanessa Miki postponed the matter until March 18 for a bail application.