“We had a video call with them on Saturday afternoon. We had a good chat and laughed. I didn’t know it would be our last video call with Zakiyya. “
That’s how Ally Jamaloodeen, Ayoob Ismail’s cousin, whose 26-year-old pregnant wife, Zakiyya Ahmedjan, 26, was killed during an attack on their farm in Weenen, KwaZulu-Natal, on Saturday night. The couple’s two children, Hajra (8) and Hamza (2), were also at home on the night of the attack.
Zakiyya was pregnant with the couple’s third child and the baby was to be born in December.
Ally says he received a call from Ayoob about 8:10 pm on Saturday night. “When I answered, I could hear him crying and the children were shouting hysterically in the background. I knew right away there was a mistake, ”Ally says.
Ally says he is in charge of a WhatsApp emergency group consisting of emergency services, neighborhood watches, police, local farmers and community members. Right after Ayoob called him, he notified the emergency group of the call. He then called a friend who then drove with him to the farm.
“When we got home, I didn’t know what to expect. Ayoob’s one child came up to me and shouted, ‘They killed my mum’, ”Ally says.
He says Zakiyya was lying in a pool of blood. He felt her wrist. “When I lifted her head, I saw her throat was cut open. She was out of breath, ”says a very emotional Ally.
He says Ayoob shouted that they should call an ambulance.
According to Ally, Ayoob heard the dogs barking early in the evening and opened a window to see why they were so noisy. He saw the dog trying to climb through the wire and opened the kitchen door to see what was going on. When he opened the door, three men stood in front of the door. He tried to stop the three men from entering the house, but they overwhelmed him.
Ally tells Ayoob, who is like a brother to him, was involved in a fierce battle with the attackers to protect his family.
The attackers allegedly demanded money. They held a knife to Zakiyya’s throat. “Zakiyya gave them money, but they still sought,” Ally says.
The attackers apparently also strangled Hajra and kicked Hamza when he tried to run to his mother.
“Ayoob told the attackers they could take anything, but they just had to leave his family.” Ayoob then grabbed his children and laid them on the floor to protect them. The attackers started kicking him.
“Ayoob believes a fourth attacker was waiting outside,” says Ally.
Ally says the attack is a big shock to their family. “The children were emotionally violated. We are a close family and do just about everything together. We would have roasted on Sunday. Now we arrange Zakiyya’s funeral together, ”he says. Ayoob goes for an MRI scan on Tuesday.
No one has been arrested in connection with the attack yet.
