Girl, 9, struck by stray gang bullet

Chante Abrahams, 9, is in hospital after she was injured by a stray bullet in Kraaifontein.

A nine-year-old girl was hit by a stray bullet in a gang-related shooting that left a man dead and a woman injured.

The shooting took place in Scottsdene’s notorious gangland, Ashley Court, on Friday July 30.

The bullet is lodged in little Chante’s neck and as of Tuesday August 3, Kraaifontein day hospital doctors were still waiting on swelling in her neck to go down before they started operating, said family friend Willem Hartnick.

The family said the little girl had been playing in Ashley Court when the bullets rang out, leaving Robert Gouws, 20, dead and a 30-year-old woman injured.

Ward councillor Grant Twigg, who visited the family, said rival gangsters were shooting at each other in the area. “The way the shooters are coming in the area, they’re not even covering their faces anymore,” he said.

Provincial police spokesperson Andre Traut said Kraaifontein police were investigating a murder and two attempted murders.

“Both injured victims was taken to nearby hospitals for medical treatment.”

No arrest have been made.

Anyone with information can contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111.

Mr Twigg appealed to the community to cooperate with the police.

“We have to make the youngsters understand what they’re doing is wrong. Families ought to speak out and say, ‘My son is a gangster; he may have been involved in this crime or the other’.”