Cape Town - A Wesbank family is mourning the death of an apostle who died protecting his grandson.
Stanely Kleinsmidt, 62, an apostle at the Bethesda Deliverance Tabernacle Church in Bishop Lavis, was killed by suspects who tried to gain access to the home on Sunday at about 2am.
A relative, Elizabeth van Wyk, said: “He heard the noise and started shouting at the suspects and even swore at them thinking they would go away but they didn’t.
“He was sleeping alone in his room on the side of the house but has a door attached to the rest of his home.
“Two suspects pushed the gate and went to the room. They shot him with a silencer because we didn’t hear any gun shot. I don’t know whether they shot him after gaining entry into the premises or not.”
When they went into the room they found the lifeless body of Kleinsmidt lying on his back on his bloody bed, sh said. “He had blood on his face, I couldn’t see where he was shot. I didn’t see his body but on the autopsy it said he had a GSW (gunshot wound).
“I think he was overpowered by the two people because he wasn’t going to let strangers harm anyone.”
She suspects the killers were there for Kleinsmidt’s troubled teenage grandson. “He’s not a gangster but he has anger issues and we think he fought with someone and that person was here to kill him.
“He was their target and Stanley got in their way. If it wasn’t for him the teen would have been killed. We are scared and traumatised. We don’t know if the suspects will return.”
Local councillor Ebrahim Sawant visited the family to sympathise with them.
“We always say enough is enough and then it happens again. This time it’s a pastor they have killed. We must use this brutal killing to get the community to stand together because there is no use in speaking and planning, we need it to happen.
“We want to know what the police’s festive season plan is in Wesbank in terms of safety and security. I have secured a possible venue from which they can perform their operations. Any time we waste is just an opportunity for more people to die.”
Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie said Mfuleni saps were investigation the murder and were yet to make an arrest.
“Members who responded to the scene found the deceased laying on top of his bed, covered in blood. Eyewitness reports suggest that they heard a bag-sound from the bedroom and upon checking what happened, discovered the lifeless body of the deceased on the bed. He was declared as dead by paramedics on scene.”