Firdous Kleinsmidt's murder brings up old wounds for dad who lost 2 sons to gang violence
Firdous Kleinsmidt was shot on the premises of Ieglaasi Nieyah Primary School in Beacon Valley earlier this week and was laid to rest on Wednesday.
The family of Firdous Kleinsmidt, who was shot and killed outside her Beacon Valley school during a gang shootout, prepare for her burial. She will be laid to rest according to Muslim burial rites. Picture: Lauren Isaacs/Eyewitness News
CAPE TOWN - A Mitchells Plain father said that the murder of a 12-year-old girl, killed by a gangster's stray bullet, had opened up old wounds.
Firdous Kleinsmidt was shot on the premises of Ieglaasi Nieyah Primary School in Beacon Valley earlier this week and was laid to rest on Wednesday.
Community leaders said police should have had an operational plan in place by now to put an end to the gang war in Beacon Valley, which started at the end of last year.
Lentegeur resident Nazeem January said Firdous Kleinsmidt's death reminded him of the pain he felt when losing two of his children, both talented soccer players, to gang violence in Mitchells Plain.
His eldest son was killed in 2015 at the age of 24, and his youngest son was gunned down two years later at the age of 14.
"His mother sent him to the shop, that was 15 minutes before the athaan [call to prayer] went off to break his fast in Ramadaan. As he walked out by the driveway, there was shooting in the road and they shot him also."
January said that nothing had come from the police's investigations into his children's murders and added that at the time, the community was just as outraged as it was now following Firdous's death but the anger and will to stand up against gang violence were short-lived.
"This is a very painful thing. I feel it with the family and I can relate with the community but where does that leave us? Is this going to be another Ridhaa and Yaseen case? I hope in this case, justice will prevail."
'CRIME IS ALL OVER, BUT NOT LIKE HERE'
A relative of the murdered 12-year-old, Taliep Adams, said he left Cape Town 20 years ago because of crime.
Adams said it seemed as if nothing had changed since.
"Crime is all over, but not like here. This place, I will never move back to Cape Town again, I'm sorry."
Meanwhile, a parent of one of Firdous' friends, Masoedah Roberts, has accused the police of failing the community.
"Police knew the night before that there was a shooting in Beacon Valley. Why weren't they visible around Beacon Valley when the children went to school? Today, our children in Ieglaasi Nieyah are traumatised."
A suspect has been arrested in connection with Firdous's murder.