Community members in the little village of Maila, outside Makhado, are reeling with shock after a well-known teacher was shot dead on Wednesday last week. Mr Solly Hadzhi (45), who had been described by many as a hardworking man, was a teacher at Namadzhavho High School in the Nthabalala area.

A 35-year-old suspect, Fhatuwani Joshua Mudau, charged with murder, appeared in the Makhado magistrate’s court on Friday last week. His case will be heard again next week Friday (9 March) and he is in custody.

According to the police statement, the deceased and the suspect were drinking liquor with their two lady friends at Maila Jackie’s Eating House when the incident happened at about 21:15. The suspect was in possession of a firearm allegedly licensed to his brother. A shot went off and a bullet hit the deceased between the neck and the right shoulder. He then fell, bled profusely and died at the scene. The brother of the suspect was also arrested and charged with negligent handling of a firearm.

Family member Lisbeth Hadzhi said she was shocked to learn about the death of her beloved brother. "I received a call on the evening of the incident, informing me about Solly’s death. I was so shocked and confused while my heart was bleeding with pain because I know that Solly was a good man. How on earth can it happen this way when we still need him more in life? We are only waiting for the law to take its course, although we know that my brother will never come back."

Lisbeth described her brother as a loving person who smiled for everyone. "He laughed and joked with everyone and he had no grudges with anybody. We will miss him dearly because he is irreplaceable. How can death be so cruel by taking the person who was a pillar in our family? We depended on him for advice and we learnt a lot from him during his lifetime. Anyway, God has done his will and we only have to accept what happened."

Solly was buried at Maila Village on Saturday.