KEY POINTS
- Four-year-old Davin Africa was shot while sleeping in his home.
- His mother lost her 12-year-old daughter to gang violence months ago.
- Investigators are working on the case, but they have not arrested anyone yet.
The Wesbank community in Cape Town is mourning the tragic death of four-year-old Davin Africa, as a stray bullet struck and killed him in his sleep during a gang-related shooting over the weekend.
His devastated mother, Undean Koopman, 38, is now mourning the loss of her second child to gang violence.
In November 2023, gunmen shot and killed her 12-year-old daughter, Kelly-Amber Koopman, in a separate gang-related incident.
On Friday night, Undean and her husband were at home with their children when gunfire erupted outside their wendy house.
They ducked to the floor, trying to avoid the bullets. When the shooting stopped, they rushed to check on their children—only to find Davin fatally wounded.
A family devastated by loss
“I ran to Keisha, and she was fine. But then I heard my husband scream,” Undean recalled. “When I got to him, I saw Davin had been shot in the back.
The bullet went straight through the wendy house. He was still awake, but then he closed his eyes, and I knew he was gone.”
Davin’s death has left his mother speechless. Just two months ago, she had planned his fifth birthday party, themed around his favorite superhero, Spider-Man. Now, instead of celebrating, the family will gather on Monday to honor his memory.
“To lose a second child like this is heartbreaking,” Undean said. “He told me every day that I was going to have a baby boy. Now, he is gone before he even got to meet his sibling.”
Police investigation and community outrage
Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed that the attack also injured a 30-year-old man. According to IOL, authorities are investigating the shooting but have not yet made any arrests.
Twigg stated that investigators are examining the circumstances of the shooting incident that occurred on Friday evening, February 14, at about 10:30 p.m. in Happiness Street, Wesbank.
Outraged community members demand an end to gang violence that keeps claiming innocent lives. Activists have called on law enforcement to step up efforts to curb crime in the area.
As Undean and her family prepare to say goodbye to another child, the community mourns yet another young life lost to senseless violence.
