Attempted murder is the incomplete, unsuccessful act of killing someone.
It is a serious criminal offense that, in all but a few cases of mitigating circumstances, can result in substantial prison time.
On 5 July, Mr Josephus Streek was driving to his home on the Jackaroo plots, just across the rail line.
As he was pulling up to the stop street in front of the railway line, he saw two men out of the corner of his eye.
The two men started firing shots at Josephus’s vehicle, but he managed to race away across the rail line.
“When I got home, I noticed that my car was full of bullet holes, but Jesus held me in his hand that day because I got away without a scratch,” Josephus recounted.
On July 8, a husband and wife were hiking along Bethal Road when they came across two strange men who immediately started demanding their cellphones and wallets.
The husband argued with the two robbers, who summarily shot him in the chest and arm, before storming off with both cellphones and both wallets anyway.
In each of these cases, the matter was reported to the police and is being thoroughly investigated.
Persons with information pertaining to any of the above attempted murders are urged to come forward.
On July 10, at nearly 04:00 in the morning, a security guard heard his female colleague calling.
He went running, scared that she may be injured.
Upon finding her, she told him that she had seen three men entering the premises but that she had lost track of them on the property and were unsure where they were.
“I went back to my car to call for more help over the walkie-talkie, but as soon as I sat down, I heard the shots. Three of them. At first I didn’t know I was hit, but then I saw the blood,” the security guard retold.
He was rushed to hospital to be treated for the gunshot wound, and is expected to make a full recovery.
“These people are coming to kill, just as much as they’re coming to steal. Nobody is safe,” the security guard concluded.
On June 13, Zuriaal Maseko was on his way to the shops. He drove past a car which he recognised to be his friend’s, and slowed down in order to talk to him.
“I opened my window and we chatted for a while. I didn’t know him well – but we hang out at the same tavern. The next moment he pulled out a gun and demanded my cellphone and wallet. I was so shocked, because he was driving an expensive car. I gave everything to him, but just as he was pulling away – he fired one shot at me and hit me in the shoulder. I’m lucky to be alive,” Zuriaal recounted.
Zuriaal was rushed to hospital by ambulance, and is expected to make a full recovery – although his shoulder’s range of motion may be affected forever.
