Cape Town - It was a hit in broad daylight at a busy mall in full view of shoppers.
Shocked shoppers at the Ottery Hyper were left gawking at the body of 29-year-old Rameez Thomas, aka Sailor Boy, shot minutes earlier in an alleged gang hit.
Thomas, a father from Newfields Village, Hanover Park, was gunned down in the parking lot as he was trying to flee his shooters. The victim, who community members believe was a member of the Hard Livings gang, was allegedly attacked by a rival gang.
As crowds gathered around the lifeless body lying next to a red vehicle, the police were alerted. One man has been arrested for the murder.
Police spokesperson Frederick van Wyk said: “Grassy Park police are investigating a murder case following a shooting incident on Tuesday at 4.15pm at a shopping mall in Ottery, where a 29-year-old man was shot and fatally wounded.”
Thomas’s sister, Fahiema Thomas, 39, said they were devastated when they arrived at the scene.
“We were just told there was a shooting that took place in front of a mall. When we came there, the car looked like it was pulled out of the parking lot and he was lying in front of the car.
“There was another guy with him, a friend of his, and then he told the friend to leave because he obviously saw the guys (approaching) looked suspicious,” she said.
Thomas said she was told by the authorities that one of the suspects was caught with a firearm.
“When I got the call, I thought maybe they were still going to help him, I must stay calm – it’s Ramadaan. His girlfriend phoned me and I was with my mommy. I picked my mommy up with his girlfriend and we went to the scene.
“When we got there, we were standing there for like 10 to 15 minutes and then the ambulance came and then they said he was deceased. I was standing there making du’ah, I didn’t know what else to do, I didn’t feel like crying, I was just shocked,” Thomas said.
She said that when they declared him “deceased”, her mother had a “breakdown”, but composed herself again afterwards.
“For us as Muslims, we don’t want to scream and shout because we shouldn’t question, ‘ons moet mooi huil’ like they say, otherwise it’s like you are questioning Allah, and you shouldn’t do that,” she said.
A shopper who wanted to remain anonymous said: “He was with another guy and they (suspects) attempted to get in the car but he was on the outside of the car and then they shot him.
“They tried to go for the other guy who was trying to get away, because he was on the other side. At the same time, sirens went off because the police were in the parking lot. The sirens went off immediately and that’s when they (suspects) ran, but they got one suspect,” the shopper said.
Van Wyk said: “The circumstances and motive form part of the ongoing investigation. An adult man was arrested. Police are continuing the search for another accomplice who is still at large.”
As Thomas spoke about what the family were going through, she said: “You hear it and you see it every day in the news, but you don’t picture yourself standing there, you yourself having to pick up one of your own.”
When asked about “Sailor Boy’s” alleged gang affiliation, she said: “He never shared anything with us, he lived for his kids.”
The body has not yet been handed over to the family as they await an autopsy to be finalised.
The police are appealing to anyone with information to contact Grassy Park SAPS or Crime Stop anonymously at 08600 10111.