According to Gauteng police, a 12-year-old girl was shot dead in Westbury, Johannesburg, on Friday night.
Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, a police spokesperson, said officers found the girl in a pool of blood in the street.
She was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead by the time she arrived.
“The circumstances that led to this shooting are unknown at this stage and no suspects are arrested yet,” Nevhuhulwi added.
According to sources, the girl’s name is Marhooma Jaan Fourie.
She was buried at Westpark Cemetery on Sunday.
Following a succession of deadly shootings suspected to be tied to gang turf wars, Police Minister Bheki Cele visited the area in March. Cele approved the use of specialised officers to tackle crime.
To maintain Westbury’s stability, 69 specialised officers from the Anti-Gang Unit, Tactical Response Team, and Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department were chosen.
The officers were stationed in the region for three months to conduct a “assessment.”
Cele told the officers to restore peace and order and to go door to door looking for illicit firearms at the time.
But weeks after the minister’s visit, 19-year-old Tyler de Kock was gunned down about one kilometre from the Sophiatown police station.
De Kock’s dream was to become a lawyer.
His death sparked widespread outrage in the community, with residents accusing Cele of failing to deliver on his promises.