A young Cape Town father died tragically in a shooting during load shedding while walking to mosque.
The family of Aboobakr du Preez, 24, from Hanover Park, said he left home shortly after 7 pm to attend Isha prayers when he came under attack on Sunday evening.
His mother-in-law, Najwa Afrikaaner, 49, said the shooting devastated them and left his three-year-old daughter, Qania, confused as she waited for her daddy to come home.
"He was walking along Ryston Road to Masijdur Rahmaan, where he went every day for prayers. The athaan [call for prayer] just went off, and he left home to go for Isha prayers," Afrikaaner said.
"I received a call from my colleague asking me what my son-in-law’s name was, and that is how we found out that Aboobakr was shot. We were told that he was walking in the dark because of the load shedding, and there were two other guys walking nearby who ran away. We suspect that it was a case of mistaken identity."
When the Daily Voice arrived on the scene, the body of Du Preez could be seen just metres from the mosque.
Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi confirmed the shooting.
"Philippi police attended a complaint on Sunday, and upon their arrival in Ryston Road, Hanover Park, they found the body of a 24-year-old man who sustained a gunshot wound.
"The victim was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel. The unknown suspects fled the scene and are yet to be arrested. The motive for this attack is under investigation. Philippi police are investigating a murder," Swartbooi said.
Afrikaaner said the community is in shock, and a large group of residents were seen gathering outside his parents’ home in preparation for his janaazah [burial], which is scheduled to be held on Tuesday.
"Aboobakr has been married to my daughter, Saurdiqah, for five years now," she explained.
"They met when they were only teenagers, and he has been a good husband and a great father. He was unemployed, yes, but each day he went out and worked in gardens and did cleaning jobs to support his daughter.
"He even took jobs as low as R10 just so he could bring something to Qania. I spoke to my granddaughter and told her that Allah came to fetch her daddy, but she still says: ‘Allah did not fetch him; he is coming home’," the heartbroken woman said.
A heartbroken Saurdiqah, 23, said: "It’s hard to say how I feel, but as a family, we feel cheated. That he had to die in such a way, and he was not involved in gangsterism."
Anyone with information about the shooting can anonymously contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.