Another senseless murder has rocked Nelson Mandela Bay, this time claiming the life of a young matric pupil on the cusp of adulthood.
An aspiring professional soccer player, Chadwin Witbooi, 18, was gunned down on Monday night while walking home from a friend’s house, where he was studying for his final exams.
A life taken away so violently, Chadwin’s death has left his family, friends and peers with many unanswered questions.
They all want to know why he had to die. What could he have done to deserve to be killed so viciously, with his school bag and books in hand?
Chadwin was excited to matriculate, had dreams of pursuing a career as a soccer player and was intent on joining the army, training rigorously to ensure he was fit enough.
Though he lived in an area where gangsterism is rife, he had set his sights on bigger things and was motivated to pursue his dreams.
Paterson High School principal Rose de Doncker described the youngster as someone who enjoyed making everyone around him laugh.
“He had an absolute zest for life [and] a vibrant personality.
“He overcame a few trials in his short life and managed to do well in his trial exams.
“He was a firm believer that school was the only tool to stay away from the scourge of crime and gangsterism.
“This led many of his classmates to persevere and continue,” De Doncker said.
Crime in the Bay is out of control. Lives are being lost in senseless killings and it is time for residents to stand up and reclaim their city.
The police must make a speedy arrest and the perpetrator must face the full might of the law. That is a given.
It cannot be business as usual when innocent people are targeted and mercilessly killed while criminals freely roam the streets and continue to terrorise them.
HeraldLIVE