Woman dies waiting for ambulance to arrive

A Mayville woman was killed in a shooting at her boyfriend’s home on Thursday night.

According to a friend of the woman who spoke to Berea Mail on condition of anonymity, the victim known only as Fatima, was an innocent victim of what she believes was a taxi violence related incident.

The friend said she had known Fatima for about a month since moving to Durban from Kokstad.

“She was living with her boyfriend in the commune home we all rented and we became friends.
“I had seen her sweeping when I got home from work and we greeted each other. I went to bath and was planning to visit her later but was tired and lay on my bed listening to music,” she said.

The friend heard footsteps coming into the home but assumed it was one of the other tenants. “I heard a gun shot and Fatima screamed then three more followed but she stopped screaming. I heard the footsteps leave and when I came out of my room, her boyfriend was in their room lying on the floor.”

The friend said Fatima was lying in the bed with two shots to her abdomen whispering “Please help me my friend”, while her boyfriend who was shot in the side and stomach asked to be helped up and taken to a hospital.

“I felt helpless because we couldn’t move her. We called the ambulance and police but they never came.

“The police came about an hour later but the other tenant had already taken her car and driven the boyfriend to hospital while Fatima lay there, barely breathing, waiting for help to arrive.

“We asked the police to try to get an ambulance but she stopped breathing and had no pulse and still no ambulance showed up,” the friend said in tears.

The woman said she was filled with fear after the incident. “I can’t understand why they would kill her. They didn’t take their TV or car keys, so I feel it could be a taxi violence incident because Fatima’s boyfriend was a taxi driver.
“She was an innocent, lovely person and didn’t deserve to be murdered!”

Cato Manor police are investigating the murder.