Pretoria - The Gauteng Department of Health has expressed its sadness and shock at the murder of a pharmacist intern, who was shot in cold blood by her boyfriend.
The 24-year-old intern from Limpopo was killed on Wednesday night by her boyfriend in the presence of her mother and six-year-old child. The boyfriend also turned the gun on himself.
The incident happened at Sizwe Tropical Diseases Hospital at the Sandringham residences, where the intern was accommodated as she was a government bursary holder.
“According to hospital officials, the boyfriend, who was a regular visitor, was with the deceased in the bedroom when he shot the deceased. The deceased walked to where her mother was sleeping with the six-year-old to wake her up. On realising that her daughter was injured, she called for assistance.
“She was taken to Edenvale Hospital where she died. A suicide note was also discovered on the scene. It is not clear what would have caused the boyfriend to commit the murder and suicide just a week after his girlfriend's graduation. The mother said she did not hear any noise or violent struggle,” said acting Head of Department, Ndoda Biyela.
Biyela said the department and staff at the hospital were still shocked by the incident. He said the department has been robbed of a young professional at the launch of her professional career.
"Pharmacists are a scarce resource in our country. For her skills and life to be taken away in such a violent manner is beyond anyone's imagination. A child will now grow up without a mother, a mother has lost a daughter, who may have been the only hope in the family and community, and the public health system is one pharmacist less," said Biyela.
The name of the deceased is withheld in order to allow the whole family to be notified and to protect the identity of her minor child. – SAnews.gov.za
