Mr Abdul Gaffor (38) was shot outside his hardware business in Extension 7 in Empulweleni on Wednesday, February 26. The group was sitting and relaxing at about 10:00, enjoying the cool night air as gunshots fired silenced one of them.
The group was sitting outside the store and having drinks when one of
the three unknown suspects opened the main gate and attacked them,
two others followed him. The group ran into the house to try and escape.
According to a family member, they managed to get inside the nearby house joined onto the store, when one of the suspects fired three shots.
Mr Gaffor was shot when he was near the door, blocking the suspect from the entering the house; He was shot three times in his stomach through the door.
“It is a very bad situation as we are attacked many times by suspects. Our shops are robbed and we report the cases and the suspects seem to get away with it, some of them have been arrested but our lives are in danger. We conduct our official business while some people are robbing us. Most of the people around our business support us, but the crime is also a problem,” said the family member.
Mr Gaffor was rushed to hospital in a bad state and died the following
day, in the early hours of the morning, after losing a lot of blood,
according to a family friend. The family friend confirmed that they have had several attacks previously and robberies in their shops. The other two suspects were also armed. In a previous attack, a bakkie belonging to Mr Gaffor was stolen.
Councillor Tebogo Mabula said Mr Gaffor was respected member of the community and every time they needed his help he was always willing to help. “We have lost a very kind and a very humble man. He was one of us and we will make sure that the suspects are arrested and brought to book.”
Mr Gaffor’s body was transported to Pakistan for burial on Friday; he leaves behind his wife.
Police are investigating a case of murder.
