A schoolboy was robbed near a taxi rank in Komani by three suspects while walking home from school.
Together with his father they searched for the suspects, but one of them fatally stabbed the father.
The boy allegedly took a firearm from his father’s body and shot the suspect dead.

An Eastern Cape schoolboy who had just witnessed his father being stabbed to death by a suspected street robber, took a firearm from his lifeless body before allegedly shooting dead the suspect.

Komani police have now opened an inquest and a case of murder for investigation.

The incident took place in front of a horrified crowd near the bustling Hewu taxi rank in downtown Komani on Wednesday.

Komani police spokesperson Captain Namhla Mdleleni said three suspects robbed the pupil of his cellphone and clothing while he was on his way home from school earlier in the day.

Mdleleni said that he quickly reported the incident to his father, who joined his son in searching for the suspects.

“[The] suspects were allegedly identified and one allegedly advanced to them stabbing the father to death,” said Mdleleni.

“The [pupil] allegedly drew a firearm from his father, shot the suspect and [the suspect] also died on the scene.”

Mdleleni could not reveal further details about the incident.

The case of lion mama

In September 2017, a Komani woman made international headlines after stabbing her daughter’s three alleged rapists, killing one of them.

The 56-year-old, dubbed lion mama, was hailed a hero for rescuing her daughters from the alleged criminals.

She was arrested, but walked out of Lady Frere Magistrate’s Court a free woman after the National Prosecuting Authority opted not to press charges against her following overwhelming public petitions for her release.

Lion Mama had heard from locals how three men were raping her daughter at an abandoned house on 2 September.

She grabbed a dagger and proceeded to the house where she embarked on a stabbing spree after catching them in the act.

The incident happened at Zwartwater near Komani.