Cape Town - A grieving family is seeking answers after their 59-year-old grandmother was gunned down by her young neighbour.
Lydia Rooi, 59, was lying in her Hillview home when she was called over, by the suspect’s mother, to their shack on Tuesday afternoon.
Minutes later her husband was informed that she was being taken to hospital.
The victim’s niece, Natasha Rooi, 35, recalls receiving a call from one of her aunts.
“One of my aunts told us that Auntie Lydia had been shot. We didn’t know what had happened.
“We went to the day hospital and we got the news that she had passed on.
“No one knows the right story, only the son and mother know what happened.”
Community members said the grandma of three was shot while the 23-year-old suspect was cleaning a gun.
“If this was the case, then why did he shoot her twice, and why would the mother clean the house and not wait for the police?
“They called my aunt over to them, she was lying on her bed and then they called her to come over, no one could hear the gunshots.
“A girl saw them while they put my aunt in the car, and shouted to alert my uncle who then went to see. Lydia was taken to hospital. I want to know what the reason for the shooting was. Why did he take someone who was known by the community?
“She was lovely. Even the police were shocked that she had been the victim of this shooting.”
Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg says Muizenberg police registered a murder case for investigation following a shooting incident on Tuesday in which the 59-yearold female was shot and fatally wounded. “According to reports the victim was shot in the Village Heights informal settlement in Hillview and was transported to a medical facility for medical treatment where she succumbed to injuries sustained.
“The victim sustained a gunshot wound to her face. The motive for the attack is yet to be established. We can confirm that a 23-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday evening and will appear in the Simon’s Town Magistrate’s court on Thursday, August 29 (today).”
Anyone with any information about this incident is kindly requested to contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111.
Cape Argus