How a trip to buy firewood ended in tragedy for two Reiger Park women

The families of 27-year-old Jaydin Magerman and Rolene Lessing, two of the four people gunned down in Reiger Park, Boksburg in Ekurhuleni, on Friday night, believe the women were deliberately targeted.

Chris Landsberg, who is representing both families, told Sowetan that the circumstances surrounding the shooting suggested the women were deliberately singled out.

“Whoever shot at the girls made sure it was close range – literally execution-style. No belongings were taken from the scene,” Landsberg said.

The shooting happened on the day Jaydin and her friends celebrated her birthday, which had been two days earlier.

Landsberg said the women had gone to a shop nearby and Jaydin went inside. She returned to the car and both were seated inside when they were shot. According to Landsberg, their attackers appeared to have waited until the women were together before approaching them.

“If it wasn’t a targeted hit, they could have shot at them while they were driving. Instead, the persons waited for the perfect time when both girls were in the car and even drove closer to them to make sure. They were shot at less than 50 metres,” he said.

“It’s still unbelievable and questions remain on how she leaves home for two minutes and gets killed in such a brutal fashion. She was such a peaceful person and the apple of the eye for the parents.”

Landsberg said the two women had been at their grandmother’s home when cousins encouraged them to go out to buy firewood.

He said the duo had driven for about two minutes to a nearby shop when the incident happened.

“That evening they would be celebrating Jaydin’s birthday at her grandmother’s home, which was on a Wednesday. But it was also common for the cousins to meet there each weekend and spend time together,” he said.

Police are investigating the women’s killings as well as the ambush of two anti-gang unit officers, Constables Thapelo Tlomastane, 29, and Sphiwe Sibeko, 28. The two officers were shot and killed while responding to the scene of Jaydin and Rolene’s shooting.

Acting police minister Firoz Cachalia said a well-known gang member who is currently out on bail and facing six other serious charges had been taken in for questioning.

He said the suspect was not the only person of interest and that police operations had led to the recovery of the rifles stolen from the two slain officers. The rifles were found on Monday morning in Dukathole, Germiston.

“The people responsible for the four murders have not yet been arrested,” Cachalia said.

Tlomatsane and Sibeko were members of the SAPS anti-gang unit deployed to Reiger Park. Their service rifles were stolen after they were shot dead just after 7pm on Friday.

A community member who asked not to be named said the anti-gang unit had been activated in the area on Thursday following the killing of a 24-year-old man allegedly linked to gangsterism.

“What is sad is that we know these people. They live with us. Even when we report them, the next day they are out on bail or never arrested at all. If they face justice, maybe the killings will stop,” Landsberg said.

He said he was not shocked by the killings being linked to gangsterism, which is rife in the area, but was hopeful it won’t get to levels of Westbury, on the west of Johannesburg.

“I’m not surprised it happened in Reiger Park, but the shock was it was one of our own. It’s my wish that Reiger Park doesn’t become another Westbury, but I think we are on our way there. I grew up in this community; gangsterism was there, but it has become more vicious and brutal.”

Cachalia also paid tribute to the two officers, saying they had joined the police service about two years ago.

“We visited the families in Brakpan and Mamelodi. It was very sad; the families were going through a difficult time. These were young men who joined the police service about two years ago,” he said.