The heartbroken family were left reeling in shock when they found the body of the beloved grandfather in the early hours as he prepared for morning prayers.
Cape Town – A popular grandfather from Northpine has been beaten to death by two gun-wielding suspects who attacked him and his wife during a home invasion on Friday morning.
The heartbroken family of Hashim Achmed Dennis, 75, were left reeling in shock when they found the body of the beloved grandfather in the early hours as he prepared for morning prayers.
Daughter Ibtisaam Williams, 43, says her traumatised mother, Kulsoem, 69, rushed into the main house, covered in blood, shortly after 4am to say their father had been killed in the attack.
The grandmother, who turns 70 on Monday, was hospitalised.
“She was covered in blood because they hit her with a gun,” says Ibtisaam.
“She opened the sliding door and could barely speak when she told me what happened.
“She said she was reading the Qur’an and my father was in the bathroom washing as he prepared for Tahajjud prayers when they came in.”
Ibtisaam says it is not clear how the killers gained entry into the property.
“My parents live in a separate entrance behind the main entrance; we are unsure of the details of the incident as they are still investigating.”
Police spokesperson, Captain FC van Wyk, says Hashim had fought the intruders.
“A house robbery and murder case are opened for investigation. A post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death.”
When Daily Voice visited the couple’s home yesterday, a traumatised Kulsoem showed several bruises on her chest and neck.
She says the robbers stole two cellphones – a Samsung J5 and Nokia.
The couple were the first residents to move into their home in Northpine in 1979 and last year celebrated their 40th anniversary at the house in Conifer Close, where they raised their three daughters, Ibtisaam, Wiedaad Arendse and Samira Levy.
Ibtisaam says when they were teenagers, her father became a taxi driver and drove the Bellville to Kraaifontein route before retiring.
“He was very popular and he believed in going to mosque every day for prayers,” she says.
“We buried him on Friday and the prayers were at Masjid Quba where he went each day.
“He has six grandchildren and we are still in shock trying to process it all.
“My mother turns 70 (today) and my sisters and I had clubbed together to buy a week-long holiday for them at Goudini Spa and we were going to surprise them with it at a dinner on Saturday night.
“My father would always make my mom’s birthday special and each year he bought her flowers. So this year we wanted to do something special for them.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Kraaifontein police on 021 980 5535.
Daily Voice
