A 28-year-old Grahamstown man, gunned down in his neighbourhood in full view of a relative in what is believed to be a case of mistaken identity, was hours away from starting his new job as a driving instructor.
A 28-year-old Grahamstown man, gunned down in his neighbourhood in full view of a relative in what is believed to be a case of mistaken identity, was hours away from starting his new job as a driving instructor.
The family of Pieter Vosloo, 28, is still reeling in shock at the young man's unexpected death on Wednesday night. Unknown gunmen opened fire on the unsuspecting Wilde Street resident as he walked with a friend to the local shop.
Vosloo was going to start a new job as a driving instructor for a local driving school the following day.
His family described him as a man dedicated to living a healthy lifestyle and said they believed the shooting was a case of mistaken identity.
Vosloo's brother Rudi Williams, who lives in Ghost Town, said his brother had been working at a game reserve before he got his new job as a driving instructor.
"These guys train every night and they were helping other people in the community to train," he said.
Vosloo had gym equipment at his home, which he shared with friends.
The incident sent shock waves through the community.
When Grocott's Mail arrived at Wilde Street, near Kuyasa Special School, just before 10am yesterday, a group of residents had gathered outside the street, not sure whether to protest or march.
They stood next to the freshly painted points where bullets and ammunition were collected by police, pondering their next move.
Minutes after they dispersed, police vehicles arrived at Vosloo's' home to continue their investigation.
Williams who was still visibly shaken by the news of his brother's sudden death said those close to Vosloo were still in shock.
A friend who was with Vosloo in his final moments was resting when Grocott's Mail arrived at the scene, because he had not been able to sleep since the incident.
Williams said two lives could have been lost on the night, but fortunately Vosloo's friend who had accompaied him to the shop escaped unharmed.
The friend did not want to be named.
Neither did a relative of Vosloo who said he saw a group of about seven men shooting at Vosloo before making off in a vehicle.
He said he was too far from the gunmen to identify them or their vehicle.
Family members said they believed that the gunmen were from Port Elizabeth, as was their vehicle.
Williams said their mother had died and the person who had taken on that role was their aunt.
Williams said she hung on to the belief that Vosloo was alive until his last breath.
"I couldn't tell her that he was gone. I actually asked my church people to come and tell her – but even they struggled because she couldn't handle it," he said.
Williams said his brother was a people's person.
"This laaitie is everyone's friend.
You can ask anyone here," said Williams. Williams also commended the paramedics for doing everything in their power to save his brother's life.
He said the police and Hi-Tec security company were also very helpful in attending to the incident.
Grahamstown police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender said a man had been shot and killed in the area around 8.30pm on Wednesday.
Police arrested a suspect barely a day after the incident.
Govender said police are investigating a case of murder.
She said the motive for the shooting was not known at this stage.
anele@grocotts.co.za
