Jeffrey Batyi and other relatives of Musa Batyi. Photo by Nwabisa Pondoyi.
3 December 2013
On 24 November, 17-year-old Musa Batyi was found at Better Life, Philippi, in a pool of blood. He had been stabbed once. He was in excruciating pain and losing blood. A short while later he died.
Batyi had been with a friend when a threatening group approached them. His friend ran for help. When his father arrived, they found Batyi in only his underwear, lying in a pool of blood.
Jeffrey Batyi, Musa’s father, said: “When I got to the scene, he was not wearing his jeans or shoes. He was in so much pain. I tried consoling him, telling him that everything was going to be fine. The stab wound was in his back and blood was just flowing.”
An ambulance arrived at the crime scene a few minutes later. There was no sign of the police.
Batyi said, “On our way to the hospital in the ambulance, he asked if we could turn his body around because the pain was unbearable … It was heart-breaking seeing him like that …The doctors and nurses tried everything to save his life, but unfortunately he had lost so much blood there was nothing they could do.”
Jeffrey Batyi said, “We didn’t open a case because we know nothing is going to come out of it. Instead, it will only worsen the pain. Detectives came to our house and took his birth certificate. I think they were just following procedure. They are not going to do anything about my son’s death.”
He said they needed more police officers in the area to patrol, not police officers who simply drive around and at the first sight of danger are nowhere to be found.
Spokesperson for the Western Cape SAPS, Lieutenant Colonel Andrea Traut, said: “Philippi area is subjected to a 24-hour policing service with patrols throughout the area.The area is divided into sectors with dedicated vehicles responsible for each sector.” He also said, “The murder case is still under investigation and no one has been arrested as yet.”
Nokhwezi Batyi, Musa’s Mother, said,“This place is not safe anymore. Two days after Musa’s death, a man was found in Phola Park dead. He was also stabbed … He was found with all his belongings, because he resisted and fought for them, but unfortunately he lost his life in the process.”
Asanda Biko, a resident, said: “ We live in fear in our community because it is not safe. If we could form a group to help the police I believe that would make some difference and have programs that engage the youth in sports, that way we wont have them roaming around, abusing drugs and involved in all kinds of criminal activities. What is sad is watching parents struggle raising their child, watch them grow and to have them taken away like this.”
“Losing your child at only 17 is a kind of pain that I can’t even describe,” said Batyi.