Brandon Jansen and Iekraam Achilles appeared in court on Friday morning, just hours before five-year-old Ameer Abrahams was set to be laid to rest according to Muslim rites. The two men face serious criminal charges, including one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder, and one count of malicious damage to property.
During the brief court proceedings, State prosecutor Nuraan Toefy outlined the details of the tragic incident, which took place in a gang-related shooting in Manenberg. Jansen, a self-confessed member of the Inglorious Bastards (IGB) gang, was involved in an altercation with the rival Hard Livings (HL) gang, where he had been assaulted. The altercation, allegedly related to gang turf, escalated when Jansen and his co-accused, Achilles, went to retrieve a firearm.
When they returned, Jansen encountered one of the HL members who had assaulted him earlier. In a fit of rage, Jansen pulled out his firearm and fired nine shots. Tragically, one of the bullets struck Ameer in the back of his head as he was walking with his father and baby sister. A 9mm bullet was retrieved from the child’s head, and he was declared brain dead shortly thereafter.
Provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile, attended the court proceedings and condemned the senseless nature of the crime. He described the murder of Ameer as a “senseless killing” and expressed the police’s commitment to tackling gang violence in the area. “We were informed that before the shooting, there was an argument between these two and the other group. The two left and went to get guns in which an innocent child and two other people were shot,” Patekile said. “We want to ensure that everybody helps us to ensure that our children are safe. We want to continue getting the guns out of the community because those are the sources of these conflicts.”
The community has been left devastated by the loss of young Ameer, who was just about to begin Grade R. Manenberg Community Police Forum deputy chairperson, Vanessa Adriaanse, expressed the heartbreak of losing a child in such a brutal manner. “He was supposed to start Grade R this year. Can you imagine how his mother must feel? Sitting in court and facing those young men in court, it is sad to think what has come of our community,” she said. “We need to keep these guys accountable.”
Ameer’s death has further highlighted the urgent need for action in tackling gang violence, especially its impact on innocent bystanders. Ameer was struck by a stray bullet while walking to the tuck shop with his family. Despite being placed on life support at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, he was declared brain dead on Monday, and his life support was switched off on Wednesday. Ameer’s funeral was scheduled for later that day, marking the heartbreaking end to the life of a young child caught in the crossfire of gang conflict.
Jansen and Achilles, who opted for Legal Aid representation, will return to court on January 17, where their legal representatives will be recorded. The case has been postponed for further investigation and bail information. Meanwhile, a third suspect arrested in connection with the shooting has been released due to insufficient evidence linking him to the crime.
