The 66-year-old retired officer, Francois Venter, was killed trying to protect his neighbors, the Jagathlal family, during a house robbery in Groeneweide, on November 16.
According to Dawn Park SAPS Constable Nkemeleng Mabula, around midday four armed robbery suspects entered the targeted house and pointed a gun at the victims in the house. They screamed for help.
“Upon hearing screams, the former officer who lives in the same street then took his gun and went to his neighbour’s house to rescue the victims. A shoot-out occurred between the former police officer and the four suspects. Unfortunately the officer was shot and killed on the scene,” said Mabula.
The four suspects then took the firearm of the deceased and fled the scene.
Venter has been described by community members as an honorable man, who was kind and who had a good heart. They say he was always willing to lend a helping hand to make sure that the community felt safe and secure.
The Advertiser spoke to his son David (39) after the prayer service held for his father.
“As a family we are very much affected by the loss of my father who was a great man in our family and in the community at large.
“We are broken inside as he was the type of man who was full of love for all of us as his family and we loved him deeply. I can so much about him, he always gave wonderful advice and we could not have asked for a better father,” David said.
“He and my mother knew each other for 50 years and they were always together.”
Francois (also known as Frans) was married for 45 years to Frieda (67) and he leaves behind his sons David and Gert (43). He is also the grandfather of five.
Mxolisi Daye said crime is rife in Groeneweide but never to the point where someone was shot and killed.
Residents said they want to enclose the area.
“We want to fight crime together as a community. We don’t want people to live in fear in their own houses,” Daye said.
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