The heartbroken family of murdered toddler Davin Africa, who was shot and killed over the weekend, will gather at his Wesbank home on Monday to celebrate what would have been his fifth birthday.
The four-year-old boy was shot in his sleep and later declared dead on the scene.
Mom Undean Koopman, 38, says she has been left traumatised after losing a second child to gang violence, after Davin’s older sister was shot and killed in November 2023.
Undean explains she was at home with her husband and two children on Friday night when they were forced to lay on the ground as they heard shots nearby.
She says: “Davin and his sister Keisha were both sleeping. My husband was watching TV and I was just about go and bath when we heard the gunshots.
“We had to lie flat on the ground of the wendy house to avoid being shot and when the gun shots stopped we ran to our children.”
Undean says the children who normally go to sleep in the same bed had fallen asleep in different rooms.
She explains: “I ran to Keisha and she was fine and then I heard my husband scream: ‘Neeeeeeee!’.
“I ran to him and that is when I saw Davin was shot in his back and the bullet went straight through the wendy house. He was still awake but then he closed his eyes and I knew he was gone.”
Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed the incident: “The circumstances surrounding a shooting incident on Friday evening, 14 February at about 10.30pm in Happiness Street, Wesbank, where a boy was shot and fatally wounded and a 30-year-old male shot and wounded are under investigation.
“Police members responded to a complaint of a shooting and upon arrival on the scene they found the victims with gunshot wounds to their bodies.
“The four-year-old victim was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel, while the other victim was taken to a medical facility for medical treatment.
“The motive for the attack is yet to be determined. The suspect/s fled the scene and are yet to be arrested.”
Undean says the death of her second child in gang violence has left her speechless.
Davin’s older sister, Kelly-Amber Koopman, 12, was shot and killed in November 2023.
At the time, Undean explained the young girl was shot in Ou Plaas Street during load shedding.
She adds: “I have no words to tell you how I feel. To lose a second child like this is just heartbreaking. On Monday it would have been Davin’s 5th birthday and we all prepared for a Spiderman party because that is what he asked for.
“I just found out I am pregnant and he told me everyday it’s going to be a baby boy. On Monday we will host the party in his memory. They caught the men that shot Kelly and we know they will go on trial soon.”
Daily Voice