Just hours before the release of his matric results, a teenager was gunned down in Mitchells Plain and a community activist claims that gangsters are responsible for his murder.

Scores of people gathered at the scene on Thursday afternoon after a group of men in a vehicle pulled up at a tuck shop and shot the pupil, Wakeel Dreyer, 17 times.

Western Cape police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi, said police found the body of the 18-year-old pupil at the scene just after 16:00.

A murder case is under investigation.

“[He] sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his body. The victim was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel. The unknown suspects fled the scene and are yet to be arrested. The motive for the attack is yet to be determined,” Swartbooi added.

Dreyer was due to get his results at Beacon Hill High School on Friday.

His mother, Lucinda Roberts, told News24 she was “numb and heartbroken” that her only child died in such a cruel manner.

She said:When I got the news that he was killed, I immediately went to the scene and saw that his body was covered already.

“I then said, ‘No, that is not my son,’, in the hope that he would walk out of the shop. But then they lifted the sheet from his face, and I just burst out crying and screaming. How is this even possible? My son, my beautiful boy, is gone from this world so soon,” she said.

She added that she believed Dreyer was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

“I have no answers as to why they shot him so many times, but I pray that whoever did this to my boy will be caught and justice be served upon them. They took my only child away; we had a whole day planned together for the release of the results because it would’ve also been his valedictory today at school,” an emotional Roberts said.

Roberts added that her son would always be remembered as the one person who made people smile.

She said: The neighbours loved him; everyone knew him because of the well-mannered person he was. We had a typical mother and son bond, and all he wanted to do was succeed in life so that we could live happily. He would tell me every day he loves me, and now I won’t hear those words ever again.

Resident and community activist Warda Cay claimed that gangsters had shot Dreyer.

“Standing there, watching and feeling a mother’s pain as she stares at her son lying on the ground is the most horrible thing to witness. My heart is broken because I know our justice system won’t do anything because we live in a lawless country,” Cay said.

“Our kids get murdered [everyday], and it’s just another number added. The [number] of innocent children who get murdered every day [is too much]. Now I am a mess because when is my child next? This [happened] just on our doorstep. He had his whole future ahead of him and was due to get his results today (Friday). This is very sad news. My heart bleeds for his family,” she added.

Dreyer’s close friend, Dora Jansen, told News24 that he was a loving person who always knew how to make people laugh.

“He was a people person, and everyone around him was always left smiling and laughing. Scores of people gathered at the scene where Wakeel was shot dead.

“I am going to miss him so much; we were working on our relationship because, like every couple, we had our ups and downs, and just when we decided we were going to give our relationship another chance, this happened, and now I’m very sad,” Jansen added.

She added that her best friend contacted her to deliver the news.

“I went on Facebook, and then I saw a lot of ‘RIP Wakeel’ posts. I then messaged my friend asking if the news was true, but no one replied. So, I went through his (Wakeel’s) timeline, and then I saw all the messages and my tears just started falling because I cannot believe he’s no more,” Jansen added.

She said she was too emotional to go to the scene.

“I don’t want to remember him like that, lying on the floor in front of the shop… I just couldn’t bring myself to go there. How do you say goodbye to someone you’ve known for such a long time? How am I supposed to go on without the man I love so much,” Jansen said.

Preparations for Wakeel’s funeral are under way. A memorial service will also be held in the area on Monday.

Police are urging anyone who has information about the incident to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.

News24