Zim teacher shot dead in South Africa over a mobile phone

Police in South Africa are investigating a case of murder after a 49-year-old school teacher was shot and killed for his cellphone.

The incident happened early on Monday morning in Delft South as Henry Chikutuva was on his way to work.

Henry, a Zimbabwean national, came to South Africa three months ago for work, and leaves behind a wife and three children.

He was shot twice in the left side of his chest, close to his heart and in his left shoulder.

He died of his injuries before paramedics arrived.

According witnesses five armed men came out of the bushes and demanded Henry’s cellphone and taxi money.

There was a struggle and several gunshots went off, says one woman who lives opposite the veld.

She says the skelms ran off over the field while Henry lay bleeding in the road.

According to the deceased’s sister-in-law, Florence Chigume, 43, he lived alone in a flat around the corner from her Kershout Street home.

“Henry had not been feeling well on Sunday and told me his blood pressure was wrong,” she says.

“When the neighbours came to call me, I ran to where he was lying in the road.

“He was closing his eyes and could not speak. It was bad and a horrific way for him to die.

“He was hard-working and loved his family enough to live in another country to support them. We as a family are traumatised.”

She says Henry graduated from the University of Zimbabwe, and had recently taught at the University of Namibia, but opted to come to Cape Town three months ago when he got a job to teach at the Bright Student Learning Centre in Summer Greens, a private school specifically for Zimbabwean nationals.

Police spokesperson Siyabulela Malo says a case of murder has been opened for investigation with no arrests so far.

Source: Daily Voice SA