Polokwane - The school holidays ended in tragedy for a Polokwane family when their teenage daughter died in a freak shooting accident.

Zonika Scheepers, 13, was accidentally shot in the face with a pellet gun on Saturday. The bullet entered her nose, went through her sinus cavity and into her brain.

Zonika and her brother Petrus, 16, had gone for a walk with their cousin Francois Muller, 24, and family friend Connor Mclean on a farm near Polokwane, Miché Erasmus, another cousin, told Netwerk24.

The farm belongs to André du Plessis. He is the employer of Zonika’s father, Bert. The Scheepers family live on the farm.

According to Erasmus, it was unclear what happened, but a shot was fired from the pellet gun.

She said Petrus, Francois, and Connor were "wrecks" after the accident.

Zonika was rushed to the Mediclinic Limpopo and transferred by ambulance to the Unitas Hospital in Centurion. A scan on Sunday showed Zonika was brain dead.

"There was no brain activity," Erasmus said.

The teen's parents, Bert and Cindy, had to make the hard decision to switch off the life-support machines.

"I held her one last time. It was terrible,”"Erasmus told Netwerk24.

The family did not want to comment.

Zonika was in Grade 7 at Die Plaasskool, an independent school in Polokwane, the Polokwane Observer reported.

A memorial service would take place in the Volle Evangelie Kerk Lofdal in Pretoria on Monday at 11:00.

Police were still investigating the incident.