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The 12-year-old Grade 6 girl who died after being shot outside the Izibuko Primary School in Katlehong on Wednesday afternoon was the victim of a stray bullet from what was most likely a drive-by shooting.
According to police spokesperson Colonel Lungelo Dlamini, at around 17:45 on Wednesday, another child's parents had come to pick up their child after returning from a school trip.
"They were there to pick their child up when a group of men in a Toyota Quantum [minibus] drove by and started firing shots at them," Dlamini said.
READ | Grade 6 pupil shot dead at a Katlehong school
"Several shots were fired and the man was fatally shot. A stray bullet hit the 12-year-old girl [who is not related to the couple] and she died on her way to the hospital."
Dlamini said a manhunt has been launched for the killers.
"We don't know what the motive for the shooting was," Dlamini said.
Dlamini asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact the police.
Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has expressed shock and disappointment following the learner's death.
READ: Katlehong schoolgirl, 12, killed by stray bullet in drive-by shooting
Lesufi had visited both families and expressed his shock and disappointment.
"On behalf of the entire education fraternity in Gauteng, we would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased learner and the grandfather of the Grade R learners.
"May they find comfort in knowing that we too share their loss. Furthermore, we strongly condemn such violent acts which threaten the safety of our learners, in and around our schooling environment."
The department has since dispatched their Psycho-Social Unit has commenced with the necessary support and counselling services at both affected schools as well as the bereaved families.
This article has been edited to reflect that the couple who was the target of the attack is not related to the girl who was killed.
