Constance Williams, mother of slain teenager Jose Williams, bears the scars of losing her son in her demeanour. Jose was killed in a stabbing on August 19 this year in what appears to have been a botched robbery attempt.
Constance recalls how Jose played the role of peace broker in the home and how the Willow Crescent Senior Secondary School learner looked forward to matriculating and attending his matric farewell after the final exam.
She says, “There is a big void in my life and the new reality I am facing is that I will never see my son again.”
With matric farewell fever in the air, she recalls Jose’s commitment to completing matric and the dreams he harboured of bettering life for his parents. The aftermath of his death has proven very trying for the family who have sought counselling through Compassionate Friends to come to terms with their loss.
Seeing the young men charged with his murder in court has been especially painful and Williams notes that three young lives have been devastated by a single act of violence. She glances at photographs of Jose and tears well up in her eyes as she explains how empty this Christmas season will be without him.
A tearful Williams can be heard in the audio below describing how the loss has impacted on the family’s life:
Kingsley and Janine Jaftha invited Eldorado Park residents to their home on the anniversary of their son Shaylon’s death. Their son was killed in an unintentional shooting which happened after a neighbour’s son played with an unsecured fire-arm.
The community supported the family and arrived in droves to mark a year since his fatal shooting. Eldorado Park police provided tips on gun safety and the law, as well as encouraging parents to find out whether any firearms were held in homes frequented by their children.
The still-grieving parents tell anecdotes of their son, describing his entrepreneurial spirit and how quiet the neighbourhood streets have become since his untimely death.
Janine Jaftha describes her loss in the sound recording below:
According to his parents, this time of the year would be when Shaylon sold firecrackers to friends and family as everyone embraced the festive season. The silence in the streets punctuates the loss they are still reeling from.
The couple thanked the community for showing their support and added that, “We do not wish other parents to go through what we’ve gone through and we want parents to know that guns do not kill people, but people using guns incorrectly, do.”
See also: Community supports Williams family
12 year old gets shot by 14 year old friend
