Page 87 - You - South Africa (February 2020)
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The boys with their
When Yaqoob sneaked down to the aunt Zubeida de
lounge he found his mother there. Villiers, who moved
“I saw her shoot herself,” he says. into the family home
Despite the harrowing circumstances, and became their le-
he managed to remain calm. gal guardian in 2017.
“I wasn’t panicking. All I knew was I
had to get away from there with Yusuf.” de Villiers moved
Carrying his brother, he ran to a neigh- into the family home
bour’s house to call for help. and has been their
Yusuf spent two months in Tygerberg legal guardian ever
Hospital in Bellville. During the first since.
week he was in a medically induced Aneesa is believed
coma and after five brain surgeries he to have had finan-
needed regular physiotherapy to help cial troubles after th
him walk again. Ameen, died two years previously fol- he’dreadYusuf’snotestohimtohelp
“It was tough because I was alone lowing a long battle with brain cancer. him study.
every day,” Yusuf recalls. The stress and responsibility of being a It wasn’t always easy, they say with a
“My brother and friends visited at single mother caused her to spiral into laugh.
night, but I always felt lonely after they depression. “He had geography and I had IT,”
left again.” After the family shooting it took the Yaqoob explains. “So I had no idea what
The optic nerve of his left eye is dam- twins time to deal with the trauma – and I was reading but I knew he’d under-
aged, which has impaired his peripheral each had his own way of coping. stand it.”
vision. Yusuf turned to a psychologist, whom They weren’t the slightest bit nervous
Yaqoob also carries scars from the he saw twice a day while in hospital. the night before the results were released
traumatic shooting. The nerves in his left “It helped me,” he says. “It even got to – after all, they knew they’d put in the
hand are damaged and although he the point where we weren’t talking about hard work.
could’ve had surgery to correct it he that. We were playing games and talking Yaqoob bagged two distinctions, one
elected not to do so. about other random stuff.” in Afrikaans and the other in informa-
“I was too scared,” he says shyly. “But Yaqoob, on the other hand, drew com- tion technology. Like his brother, he’s
it’s okay that I have a slightly weird finger. fort from friends and family. proud he didn’t allow what happened to
It’s who I am now.” “For me, speaking to a psychologist them to get him down.
didn’t work. I didn’t see the need to speak Both have been accepted at the Uni-
OST of the memories from to someone I didn’t know. I had friends versity of the Western Cape. Yusuf was
their childhood before the and the people I was staying with who due to enrol to study psychology while
CORRIE HANSEN, FACEBOOK/SABCNEWSWESTERNCAPE Mob jokes. tough, Yusuf says. had nominated them for the ministerial
Yaqoob will complete a BSc in physio-
incident are happy ones.
were there for me. That was better.”
“We played games a lot
Preparing for the matric exams was
therapy.
Last year they were told their school
and got up to mischief,”
“I couldn’t really work in class because
Yaqo
Yusuf adds there was rarely an activity
award – but discovering they’d won and
of my vision impairment,” he says. “I had
to download PDFs of the work and use
would meet Western Cape Premier Alan
they didn’t do together.
Winde came as a complete surprise.
“When I decided I was going to play
that to study because I couldn’t focus on
the board in class.”
“We only found out a day before the
cricket he did it with me. We were bad at
Bernadino Heights High School made
it but we played it,” Yusuf says.
They each received a certificate, a
s ecial arrangements for
After the tra edy, their aunt Zubeida
badge, a cellphone and R10 000 towards
suf, such as enlarging his awards ceremony,” Yaqoob says.
estion papers and allo- their tertiary studies.
ting him more time and “We were around smart people!”
meone to help him write. Yaqoob says with a grin. “It felt special to
But it was Yaqoob who be recognised for something we had to
pported his brother the do anyway, which was pass matric.”
ost. The teens say their ordeal has taught
For two hours every day them lessons they’ll carry with them for
the rest of their lives.
“You shouldn’t let your past hold you
qoob helped Yusuf, who
as impaired vision after back. You should always look forward,”
e shooting, to study for Yusuf says wisely.
is exams by reading to Yaqoob interjects with some of his
im. Both got matric ex- own pearls of wisdom.
mption and will study at “You can’t walk forward with a mirror
he University of the in front of you because you’ll keep look-
estern Cape this year. ing back.” S
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