Cape Town - A devastated mother has recalled her efforts to secure an ambulance in the desperate hopes of saving her critically wounded daughter’s life.
Whitney Dennis, 15, was shot and killed near her Tafelsig home in Mitchells Plain on Wednesday.
She was with Junaid Hill, 24, who was also murdered, while two others, aged 23 and 16, were left wounded.
They had been standing with friends when they were attacked in Bainskloof Street.
Whitney’s grief-stricken mother, Geraldine Dennis, 41, said she was at home when she heard the gunshots.
“After someone called out Whitney’s name, my husband went to look. I eventually went out there and my daughter was laying on the ground.
“My sister in Christ was kneeling by her head and praying for Whitney.
“At that time I got on the phone, calling for the ambulance to quickly come and they kept asking me things over and over. They said they would get back to me because there were no ambulances to be sent out.
“I told them there was a teenage girl who had been shot. I kept calling and some of their questions about medical aid were asked and they said I could call a private ambulance.
“I ended up calling my cousin who works at a hospital. She also told me there were no ambulances.”
Dennis said she was told the paramedics were at the police station.
“It had been more than 30 minutes, a ribbon was put around the scene. I was under the impression she was still alive, but they told me she died.
“She had no visible wounds, or blood, but she didn’t speak while I was there, but I had hope. I was disappointed in the paramedics. Maybe she could have been saved if they didn’t take so long to come.”
Dennis said the last time she saw her daughter alive was when she visited her friend and Whitney was standing with her friends.
“None of the people she stood with were gangsters. Junaid was such a nice young man. He always greeted me when he walked past.
“What I heard was that there were guys who just went to them and started shooting at random. It’s a common thing here.”
Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said according to reports, unknown suspects approached the victims on foot and started shooting at them before fleeing the scene.
“The motive for the attack forms part of the police investigation.”
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za