Toddler witnesses father’s death
A three-year-old girl witnessed her father’s death after three men wearing balaclavas shot him several times at Jacobs Farm on Tuesday.
The little girl’s mother, Puleng Masopha, says they were across the road at her mother’s house at 5.30pm when the child asked for food.
Puleng sent her daughter, Boitumelo, home to her father, Seiso.
“Within minutes I heard gunshots and my husband calling for help,” she says.
While being too scared to go to their house, her daughter came back to Puleng saying “daddy is no more”.
At first Puleng thought Seiso had left to go somewhere, but Boitumelo added “daddy is dead”.
Puleng immediately called the Springs police and only went to her house after the police arrived.
“It was a horrible sight that awaited me, something I will never forget,” she says.
The police informed her that he was shot several times.
According to Puleng, her husband was outside their house when he was shot the first time.
She believes he was trying to protect their daughter as he died inside the house.
Talking to the Addie, Puleng says Seiso decided to leave the illegal mining business in June this year.
“He was involved with illegal mining because he couldn’t find a job,” she says.
She claims when the illegal mining group with whom he worked split into two groups, he was given the option to choose which one to join.
Puleng says it was a difficult choice for Seiso and he decided to quit than choose between the pair.
This cost him his life as he was allegedly killed by three of his former illegal mining companions.
“Although it was illegal, his priority was to support his family,” she says.
According to the Boitumelo’s grandmother, Mathabiseng Maboka (43), the toddler is severely traumatised and doesn’t sleep well.
“She bursts into tears every now and then,” she adds.
The child claims there were three men wearing balaclavas and she saw them running away.
“Since the incident she doesn’t talk much at all,” says her grandmother.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been finalised as Seiso’s parents only arrived from Johannesburg on Wednesday.
Springs police spokesman Capt Johannes Ramphora confirms the man was shot several times on Tuesday.
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