Mnquma local municipality mayor Thobeka Bikitsha yesterday visited little Nathan Martin, six, who was shot in the head by Bikitsha’s bodyguard on Saturday evening.
Nathan is fighting for his life in the intensive care unit at the Frere Hospital.
He was sleeping at his Reservoir Hills home when a bullet came through his prefab bedroom wall, burning his mother’s cheek and hitting Nathan in the head.
The round shattered on impact and is lodged at the back of his skull. The bodyguard, who has not been named, is the neighbour of the Martin family. They live in the same building.
Mnquma spokesman Loyiso Mapantshane said the mayor had gone to Frere to share the pain of the family and also establish the facts around the incident.
“The mayor said a prayer with the parents of the child in the ward. The feedback that we received was that the boy is strong. We are deeply concerned that one of our officials who, in his capacity of bodyguard, is supposed to be extra careful with the use of firearms, was involved. We are going to institute internal disciplinary processes regarding the use of state-issued firearms,” said Mpalantshane .
Bikitsha was accompanied by Amathole district municipality mayor Nomfusi Nxawa.
Nathan had survived a heart operation and was ready for his first year of school next year.
The Martin family spokesman and Nathan’s cousin, Kuvendrin Martin, said the family was feeling slightly more optimistic about Nathan’s condition but were still traumatised.
“The entire family is still shocked and is finding it difficult to cope with the situation. We are now living for each minute. We are aware there is a legal process that is involved with this incident and our view is that the law must take its course and justice must prevail,” said Martin.
Martin said although they were praying for a full recovery they feared Nathan’s quality of life would be diminished when he returned home.
“He is the baby of the family. We still have hope he will be able to start Grade 1 which he had been looking forward to after his operation ,” said Martin.
Mayor prays with parents of boy shot in head
Nathan is fighting for his life in the intensive care unit at the Frere Hospital.
He was sleeping at his Reservoir Hills home when a bullet came through his prefab bedroom wall, burning his mother’s cheek and hitting Nathan in the head.
The round shattered on impact and is lodged at the back of his skull. The bodyguard, who has not been named, is the neighbour of the Martin family. They live in the same building.
Mnquma spokesman Loyiso Mapantshane said the mayor had gone to Frere to share the pain of the family and also establish the facts around the incident.
“The mayor said a prayer with the parents of the child in the ward. The feedback that we received was that the boy is strong. We are deeply concerned that one of our officials who, in his capacity of bodyguard, is supposed to be extra careful with the use of firearms, was involved. We are going to institute internal disciplinary processes regarding the use of state-issued firearms,” said Mpalantshane .
Bikitsha was accompanied by Amathole district municipality mayor Nomfusi Nxawa.
Nathan had survived a heart operation and was ready for his first year of school next year.
The Martin family spokesman and Nathan’s cousin, Kuvendrin Martin, said the family was feeling slightly more optimistic about Nathan’s condition but were still traumatised.
“The entire family is still shocked and is finding it difficult to cope with the situation. We are now living for each minute. We are aware there is a legal process that is involved with this incident and our view is that the law must take its course and justice must prevail,” said Martin.
Martin said although they were praying for a full recovery they feared Nathan’s quality of life would be diminished when he returned home.
“He is the baby of the family. We still have hope he will be able to start Grade 1 which he had been looking forward to after his operation ,” said Martin.
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