Cape Town - Friends and family of a father of three are reeling after he was shot in the neck as he was walking to work.
James Mbalazo, 38, was gunned down on Monday morning in Surrey Estate, on Klipfontein Road.
The victim walked from the Tambo Village in Manenberg and was attacked at about 6.30am in a suspected robbery. The details of the murder are still sketchy as police are still investigating.
His loved ones gathered at the scene, clearly distraught, as the police stood in the cordoned-off area. The deceased man had already been covered with silver foil while forensic experts were en-route.
A friend of Mbalazo, Mike Lawrence, said: “I received a call informing me about the shooting at around 8am. He was on his way to work. James was a tailor and his workplace is in Rylands.
“He was a father of three, he wasn’t a gangster. He was a good man, we are all devastated. James was like a brother to me, we grew up together in Malawi and we met here in Cape Town.
“Everyone is really shocked by this shooting because he decided to walk because he didn’t have money to take a taxi to work, and every time he didn’t he would decide to walk to work.”
Manenberg Community Policing Forum spokesperson Vanessa Adriaanse said it had become a norm for robbers to shoot their victims.
“The other day a woman was walking alone and a car stopped next to her. After taking her belongings the robbers fired a shot but only in the air. She could have been shot and killed like the Klipfontein victim.
“I don’t know if the shooters maybe knew the victim and they feared he would identify them, or not.”
Adriaanse added that load shedding was often a reason for aggravated robberies.
“On Monday morning at around the time of the shooting, we had load shedding. It has made it difficult for everyone and the criminals are taking advantage.”
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said Manenberg police are investigating a murder case following the shooting incident.
“Circumstances surrounding this incident are under investigation. The unknown suspects fled the scene and are yet to be arrested. The motive for the attack is yet to be determined.”
Anyone with information can contact Manenberg SAPS at 0216999400 or Crime Stop 0860010111.