Senseless killing of man trying to save family

By Tarryn Le Chat

A 25 year-old man was found dead near a bridge linking Heideveld to Gugulethu on Sunday after trying to protect his four year-old daughter, nephew also four years-old and brother-in-law from two attackers. Clinton Kapman from Mannenberg on the Cape Peninsula was stabbed as the family made their way from the city centre. According to brother-in-law, Ricardo Adams, Kapman wanted to know who the two men were hiding in the bushes. Adam explains, “I told Clinton to wait, but he wanted to see who it was. I didn’t dissuade him. I did tell him that we had children with us and we should just leave the men”. Adams fled the scene with the children taking them to safety after hearing Kapman scream, “They are stabbing me, Cardo, they are stabbing me!” Adams then alerted the police. Kapman’s body was not found the Saturday night. The deceased’s mother returned to the bridge the following morning to find a crowd. Kapman’s mother says, “I asked a lady what was happening and she said that a coloured man’s body had been found’. Kapman’s body was found with an open bible lying underneath him, opened at Samuel 16 and 17 and his watch, takkies and gifts he had bought for the children strewn around him. A knife was also found at the scene. The two robbers made off with three-hundred-and-fifty rand. Manenberg police station Commander Senior Superintendent Kisho Harri confirmed that Kapman’s body was found in a ditch on Sunday and the motive for the killing remains unknown. People with information can contact Detective Inspector Kandan at 086 001 0111.