Cape Town - The five-year-old Manenberg boy, Devonte Terry, who had been fighting for his life after being shot and wounded in a gang-related shooting a month ago, is said to be recovering well and even receiving schooling at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital.
Just two weeks after having begun Grade R at Sonderend Primary School, Terry was shot and critically wounded in the head, just across from the school, at Seine Road and Thames Avenue, where he had been playing on February 5 at around 10am.
His home was just metres away from where he was lying on the ground as residents rushed to the boy's side. A 17-year-old was also killed in the shooting.
Grandmother Georgina said he had woken up two weeks ago, following a medically-induced coma. She said he was only able to eat soft foods such as yoghurts.
“He must go for physio. They’re considering sending him away for six months to rehab,” she said.
She was unable to say when exactly he would be discharged, but said even the stitches had been removed.
Terry will be celebrating his sixth birthday on April 15, and is the youngest of three siblings, aged 11, 10, and 5.
Georgina said three arrests have been made and that the suspects are gang members.
“They were chasing another guy, the one they shot dead, so he was in the crossfire, the small one. He was playing that side. He never played that side. If he plays, he plays here or under the tree but I don't know what took him to that side,” she said.
“Too many prayers went out and still they’re praying for him. Before this, he’d come in and jump on the couches and into my room, onto my bed. I said to him on Friday, ‘no more monkeys jumping on my couches, you must sit here’. He just laughed at me. He is extremely smart. His mind is very fast for his small age.”
Neighbour Felicia Fortune, 63, said they barely heard the gunshots and believed silencers were used.
“His uncle kept him on his lap and my son-in law drove to Heideveld Hospital and from there, they took him to Red Cross Hospital. They had an emergency operation, they removed the bullet so it was just waiting for him to wake up. But his granny said he woke up and he called her name.”
Shaqeelah Daniels said her husband Sharief rushed Terry to hospital.
“He was still conscious but you could hear he was struggling to breathe so if it wasn't for him (Sharief)...”
The neighbours said a third person was shot and survived.
Police confirmed that three men, aged 19, 24, 26 were arrested for murder and attempted murder. The suspects will appear in the Athlone Magistrates Court on Wednesday for bail application.
The suspects previously appeared on March 1, for bail information hearing.