A devoted community worker was shot nine times while on patrol trying to keep his neighbourhood safe.
|||Cape Town - A devoted community worker was pumped full of bullets by gangsters while on patrol trying to keep his neighbourhood safe from thugs. He died minutes after his young daughter hugged his broken body, begging the dad of four not to die.
Frederick Martin, 54, died when three unknown men opened fire on him and five others outside Weltevreden Court in Ottery.
Relatives say Frederick was on his way home for a tea break from a neighbourhood watch patrol when he was shot nine times on Sunday night.
The three other men, in their 20s, who escaped the attack with minor injuries, say they fear the unknown suspects will come back and finish them off.
Community members believe the suspected killers are Mongrels gang members who went into their territory looking for rival Yuru Cats gangsters.
Residents claim the Mongrels gang have long terrorised them and have always wanted to take control of their area.
On Monday the Daily Voice tracked down two of the three men who had been shot with Frederick.
Speaking to the Daily Voice, still dressed in the same blood-soaked clothing from the night before, one of the survivors, who did not wish to be identified, says he is lucky to be alive.
“Five of us were sitting outside smoking when three guys approached us,” says the 27-year-old.
“They did not say much, one of them just said ‘here are these ma se p**se’ and they started shooting. “I got shot on my lower back as I was running but I kept on going and did not look back.” Two other young men escaped with bullet wounds to the thighs and another to the ankle.
Frederick’s wife Elizabeth Martin says she was cleaning the house when she heard gunshots. “The lady who lives above us came out to say Frederick was lying beneath the stairs outside,” she explains. “I opened the door and there he was on the floor with my daughter lying on top of him. “She begged him not to leave us and all he said was that his whole body was in pain.
“I’m still battling to come to terms with what happened, I can barely talk about it. “We were married for 31 years, have four children and three grandchildren.”
Community leaders describe Frederick as a loving man who was committed to ensuring everyone felt safe. A spokesperson for Ottery People’s Civic Association, who did not want to be named, says Frederick always kept an eye on the community.
“He had nine bullet wounds that we could see, on his private parts, his shoulder, his stomach - his whole upper body had wounds,” she says.
“He was still on duty at the time, he walks around the whole area patrolling and looking after the mosque. “He was the type of person who walked people to the bus stop in the morning when it was dark. “We warned police that something like this would happen and they did nothing to help us.” Police spokesperson, Captain FC van Wyk says: “The deceased was shot in the upper body and died on arrival due to the extent of his injuries.”
He adds a murder and attempted murder case was opened for investigation and no arrests have been made.
Daily Voice