Father of Soweto hostage speaks out
The father of a woman who was taken hostage by her boyfriend in Tladi, Soweto on Wednesday, was hopeful that she would recover after she was shot in the head.
Speaking outside his daughter’s house, he said: “I’m very disappointed, I don’t have much to say but I’m hoping my daughter will get better.”
Fighting back the tears, he confirmed that his daughter is 37-years-old.
Police and forensic scientists were on the scene on Wednesday night. Shocked neighbours formed a line beyond the police barrier and were watching as police officials entered the house.
Police spokesperson General Fred Kekana told ANA that the woman was rushed to the hospital after she was shot in the head. He initially said that the woman was 31-years-old.
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Her 37-year-old boyfriend then turned the gun on himself and he was declared dead on the scene.
A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said that at around 8.30am she heard the 37-year-old woman screaming for help.
“When we went outside, we saw a police car passing and the two other neighbours called him. He then entered the house where he found the boyfriend and the girlfriend,” she said.
“I heard the gun three times and I was so shocked but that time he didn’t shoot her. This was their second time fighting, the woman was not happy in a relationship,” the neighbour said to ANA.
“I’m so traumatised because I saw this from the start and didn’t believe is it really happening. We were very close because she used to leave her boy with me, even if the boy comes back from school he come here because her mother was working.”
Her son is seven-years-old.
Onlookers said that the man took his girlfriend hostage in the early hours of the morning after the couple allegedly had relationship trouble.
Kekana said that the woman opened a case of domestic violence against the man and it was believed that the case lead to him taking her hostage.
More details were not immediately available.