Cape Town – It was a terrifying night for SACP member Siyabulela Siswana’s five children, who had to take cover as their father, mother and 6-year-old sister Banele were hit by a hail of bullets in their Mfuleni home.
Siswana’s uncle, Mntuwekhaya, said at about 8pm on Wednesday two men entered the house in Extension 6 and opened fire.
“We suspect the perpetrators might have been outside waiting for the right moment to attack because they entered when one of the children opened the door and went outside.
“The men pushed open the door and walked in. At that moment everyone knew something was wrong because they had covered their faces.
“They shot Siyabulela multiple times and Banele, who was sitting next to him. His wife, who is currently fighting for her life, was shot six times.
“Other children managed to run to the other rooms and survived the attack. I rushed to the scene after receiving the call,” he said.
Banele and her father were declared dead on arrival at the hospital and his wife can’t even talk at this stage.
“Although a social worker visited, the children are traumatised and as the family we are in shock.
“What terrifies us most is the confidence the suspects had because they didn’t even run after what they did, they just walked out on foot as if nothing happened.
"At this stage we don’t know the motive and are not aware if their lives were threatened before. We are just hoping this will not be a cold case
but the people who did this get
arrested so that we get closure,” said
Mntuwekhaya.
Provincial police spokesperson
Brigadier Novela Potelwa said
detectives were hard at work
investigating two murders and
attempted murder.
“Provincial detectives are
interviewing several individuals as
part of an investigation into the
murder of a 44-year-old community
leader and his 6-year-old daughter
on Wednesday evening in Mfuleni.
"The investigation that is unfolding is
expected to determine the motive for
the shooting,” said Potelwa.
Siswana was the SACP’s Brian
Bunting District secretary.
The party’s provincial secretary,
Benson Ngqentsu said they were
“deeply shocked by the cowardly
assassination”.
“The SACP in the Western
Cape calls on our law enforcement
agencies to act swiftly and leave no
stone unturned till perpetrators are
apprehended.
"He didn’t deserve to
die in an inhuman manner with his
daughter. As the party we will work
with the family and the police.”
Ward councillor and friend
Thembisile Bathembu said they were
all baffled as to who would attack a
humble family.
“I have been friends with
Siswana for some years now and his
personality and love for his family
is what drew me close to him.
"You
would never see him fight with
anyone, he knew how to address
people and get his point across
without insulting people. He
had a passion for politics and was
good at it.”
Anyone with information can
anonymously contact Crime Stop on
08600 10111 or SMS Crime Line on
32211.