Avanza gang killed my son in front of his family, says heartbroken dad

Barely two months after his home was ransacked at gunpoint by a brazen gang of criminals, a Gugulethu father has buried his son, who was fatally shot when the family was attacked again last month.

Mlungisi Mazana told of a chilling phone call he received from his niece minutes after a group of men walked into his NY 38 home, demanding cash and cellphones before shooting his son in the chest.

Mazana said his son, Ayanda Silinga, 39, walked in on the robbers, who were holding the family hostage in one of the bedrooms.

He said one of the men fired at Silinga in front of his family, including children. As he fell to the ground, the gang removed Silinga’s takkies and continued to go through the house stealing more items, Mazana said.

Mazana said in July his family was attacked and robbed of cellphones and a laptop, and again in mid-September when Silinga was killed.

In both incidents, the attackers fled in a Toyota Avanza.

He said the family was traumatised and aggrieved by a lack of progress in the case.

“I am not happy with how the police are dealing with the matter. All they say is that there were no witnesses.

“Surely they are trained to interrogate and eliminate suspects until they get a lead?” he said.

“It seems the police have become so used to these crimes, or they are so scared of the criminals that they are not moved to act,” he said.

“I brought up my son to avoid being on the streets for safety reasons, but he was killed at home,” he said.

Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said a murder case was under investigation.

“This office can confirm that a murder case was opened at Gugulethu SAPS where a 39-year-old male was shot during a house robbery at NY 38, Gugulethu,” Van Wyk said.

“According to reports, the suspects are unknown. No arrest has been made,” he said, adding that detectives were following all leads.

Mazana said the attacks on his family and other residents suggested that a gang was active in the area.

He said he had taken it upon himself to appeal to the conscience of members of the community to come forward with information that could help solve the case.

“These criminals live among us, members of the community know them. The police should have heard something by now,” said Mazana.

According to media reports, a gang known as the Avanza Gang committed a spate of robberies in Khayelitsha and Nyanga in 2012.

Van Wyk did not respond to questions about alleged activities of the Avanza Gang.

Weekend Argus has been reliably informed that taxi operators using Avanzas have been asked by the police to mark their vehicles to set them apart from those used by criminals.

Weekend Argus