Police have arrested a 42-year-old man in connection with the shooting of a 6-year-old Bokmakierie girl.
Brionay Julies’s mother, Gail, was frying fish on Saturday January 12, when the girl’s father, John, sent his daughter to buy spices at a nearby shop.
The shop is in 8th Avenue, the same road in which the family stay. But, at about 7.30pm, some 30 shots rang out while Brionay was still on her errand. She was shot in her leg.
A 35-year-old man was killed and two others injured during the shooting.
Ms Julies said that before she and her husband could leave the house to find their five other children, Brionay had come running in.
At first they thought she was bleeding because someone had thrown a brick at her, but they later found the bullet wound.
“I told my husband to see to her, and I went to look for my other children. I came in, and he said, ‘Look here,’ and I said, ‘She looks like she was shot,’” Ms Julies said.
She called the ambulance and Athlone police station.
Brionay was taken to the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital. She was discharged on Tuesday January 15, and is now recovering at home.
The Grade 1 Alicedale Primary School pupil said she was missing her school friends.
Athlone police station commander Colonel Mark Adonis said a 42-year-old Bokmakierie man had been arrested and charged with murder.
“We went to his home, and he wasn’t there, and he came to the station to find out what we wanted, and we arrested him, as the detective from the anti-gang unit was there.
“We are very happy about the arrest; it is a positive thing for us and the community.
“Murder cases are a priority for us and for the province,” he said.
The man appeared in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court on Friday January 18 and the case was postponed to Tuesday January 29. The man was remanded to Pollsmoor prison.
Ms Julies said her husband felt guilty about sending Brionay to the shop.
“He blames himself, but I told him that it is not his fault.
“She is very nervous and emotional after the incident. We are all going for counselling – me and her dad – at the police station, and she is going to Red Cross.
“I feel very unhappy about this. They shoot all the time, and we are scared to even come out of our house as they jump and run on our roofs,” she said.
“Whoever did this must just be arrested because I could have lost my daughter. God was with her because the bullet only touched her,” she said.
Police Minister Bheki Cele visited the family on Tuesday January 15.
“We’re in an abnormal situation where the government needs to come in and normalise the situation. You can’t blame yourself,” the minister told the family. “Our kids can’t grow in a cage; it’s not right. Children should be allowed to play outside and to make friends. Everybody must be safe, but when it comes to kids, I believe an extra effort must be made.” – Additional reporting by the Cape Times.