Family finds closure after pregnant mom killed in Kraaifontein gang war
After years of waiting, a Western Cape family says their prayers have been answered after the killers of their loved one were sentenced to life imprisonment.
The pain of losing their mother is something Shahieda Nathan’s children have carried for five years, but they now have some justice knowing her killers could spend the rest of their lives behind bars.
Jeremiah Fortuin (42) and Ricardo Cloete (43), members of the Ferodo gang, were sentenced to life imprisonment in the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday.
They were convicted of fatally shooting Nathan, who was eight months pregnant, and attempting to kill six others on June 21, 2020. The victims were mistakenly believed to be members of a rival gang, the Mobsters.
Turf war
Western Cape NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila says the Ferodo and Mobsters gangs operated in the Scottsdene, Kraaifontein area, and at the time of the incident were engaged in a turf war over the illegal drug trade.
“Nine active gang groups are operating in the Kraaifontein area, with the Ferodo operating in an area known as the ‘Zoo’, which includes Klipbok Street and surrounding streets,” he adds.
Family’s pain
Janet Hefke, a relative of Nathan, says their lives have not been the same since her death.
“She has three children and her death has been very traumatising for them and for us. Watching the children go through the pain of losing their mother was heartbreaking. Her oldest child, who is 19, sometimes feels like he cannot go on with life without his mother,” says Hefke.
She said they were looking forward to welcoming Nathan’s baby into the world.
“We were all so excited because a baby brings so much joy into families. We were making sure she had what she needed before her baby arrived. Losing them both was traumatising for us,” adds Hefke.
Justice and closure
The family believes they have finally found justice.
“We prayed every day for justice and closure. We are happy with the sentencing. Shahieda was a bubbly person, and she always put her children first and opened her heart to people in need. She was an innocent mother who did not deserve to die,” she says.
She adds that gang violence is getting out of hand in the Western Cape.
“This sentencing gives us hope that the situation can get better,” says Hefke.
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Read original story on www.citizen.co.za
