Thembisa, a high density suburb in Ekurhuleni, is reeling after two separate murders on the same night. The incidents, which occurred on Monday, 9 September, have left residents shaken and fearful.
The first victim, a 49-year-old man, was gunned down outside his rented room in the Tlamatlama section of Thembisa. A neighbour described him as a quiet man who worked night shifts and slept during the day.
"We were coming back from a funeral and saw a boy next door hiding. When we asked him why he was hiding, he said he heard gunshots," the neighbour recounted.
She explained that they didn't hear the gunshots themselves, likely because they were in a car.
"We saw a car driving past us at normal speed. The only thing I remember about the car was the colour. It was either navy or black," she said.
The neighbour couldn't identify the car model due to a lack of streetlights.
"When we went to the crime scene, we found a man lying in a pool of blood, still breathing."
The neighbour added that it's believed the shooters were known to the victim because someone heard him say, "So are you now going to kill me?" before the gunshots rang out. The man was shot eight times and declared dead at the scene by paramedics.
In a separate incident, a 38-year-old man was gunned down in the Motsu section, in what appears to be an attempted hijacking of a white H100 mini truck he was driving. According to residents, three shots were heard, and the victim was hit by one bullet, dying on the scene at Mmamashiyanoke Drive.
It's believed the man had visited his girlfriend in the Motsu Section. When he arrived, he was met with bullets before he could even enter the gate. The victim's girlfriend was called to the scene and found him lying in a pool of blood.
The suspects in both incidents are unknown, and the motives for the attacks remain unclear. At this stage, it is also unknown what, if anything, was taken from the deceased.
Ekurhuleni district police spokeswoman Captain Neldah Sekgobela confirmed the incidents.
"No arrests have been made yet. Two cases of murder have been opened after the two different incidents were reported. We appeal to anyone with information to report to the nearest police station," said Sekgobela.
