How drugs changed life of murdered PE girl, 20
Former pupil at Pearson named as gun victim
THE devastated friends of a “bubbly” young Summerstand woman who was gunned down near the Port Elizabeth city centre this week have told of her long battle against drug addiction which led her into a dangerous life on the city’s streets.
Lizbi Els, aged just 20 and who friends said got involved with “the wrong crowd”, died after being shot three times while walking in Govan Mbeki Avenue in Port Elizabeth’s North End on Wednesday night.
The shooting apparently followed an altercation with the driver of a black Volkswagen Polo she had been sitting in just moments before.
The former Pearson High School pupil who, according to police, was known as Alexis on the city’s streets, was shot in the head, neck and the left side of her body. She died on the scene.
The shooting took place at the Govan Mbeki Avenue-Albany Road intersection at about 10.30pm on New Year’s Day.
Els’s pharmacist father, Christo Els, of Summerstrand in Port Elizabeth, was not available to speak to Weekend Post yesterday. Her older sister Jeanne, who was driving back to Port Elizabeth from Cape Town yesterday, said she was still in mourning the death of her sister and also preferred not to comment.
Police spokesman Stanley Jarvis said police were pursuing leads and were grateful to members of the public who had come forward with information.
“There are witnesses who have made statements that she had been working as a prostitute in that area for approximately two weeks prior to the shooting,” said Jarvis.
“No arrests have been made yet but we are pursuing strong leads and we are also following up on forensic evidence.”
Jarvis said investigators had already established the number plate of the vehicle involved in the attack and how many occupants had been in the vehicle at the time.
Tributes poured in on social media yesterday, with a number of her friends expressing their shock at her “untimely” death. A distraught friend, who did not want to be named, said Els was a bubbly, nice, humble young woman who was trying to beat a drug habit.
“She had been at a rehab centre in George just before she was killed and came back around December 20. When she came back, she got involved with the wrong crowd, including gangsters. “I can’t believe she is dead – it’s just unreal.” The Port Elizabeth woman said she and Els had become involved with drugs when they were 15 years old. “We all went to rehab a couple of years ago, but she could not kick the habit. “She was still trying though.” The friend said while Els had her “off and on days” because of the drugs, she was genuinely a nice person who was loyal to her friends and family.
“On days when she was coming down from a high, she would be moody but otherwise she was great. I haven’t seen her in about four months but have talked to her on and off since I last saw her.”
Well-known drug addiction counsellor John Preller, who is also chairman of the Mount Road Police Forum Cluster, said he was “extremely concerned” over the current situation around growing drug abuse in Nelson Mandela Bay.
“There has been a very strong escalation in young
We all went to rehab a couple of years ago, but she could not kick the habit. She was still trying, though
people using drugs. I am extremely concerned and am working very hard at trying to formulate a strategy to stem this tide.”
He said apathy in communities affected by drugs was one of the major obstacles that needed to be addressed.
He would be making a concerted effort to tackle the issue along with authorities, communities and other stakeholders this year. He called on national government to re-introduce the former specialised alcohol and narcotics police unit Sanab.
“The government owes us an explanation as to why they closed Sanab. I have raised this issue with many senior police officers who agree that the unit must be reintroduced.
“This is just one of the remedies that we urgently need to tackle increasing drug use,” Preller said.