REIGER PARK – The community of Reiger Park in Ekurhuleni has been plunged into a state of mourning and terror following a brutal shooting on Friday night, August 7, 2026, that claimed the lives of four people. The victims include two young women who were caught in a suspected ambush and two members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) Anti-Gang Unit who were gunned down while responding to the initial attack.
The tragedy has left families shattered and residents pleading for an end to the "senseless slaughter" that has turned their neighbourhood into a war zone. Rolene Lessing, 36, and Jaydin Margerman, 27, were the civilian victims of the attack, while the two fallen officers were killed in a calculated ambush just moments later.
A Night of Terror in a Red Polo
The violence began at approximately 19:30 on Friday. Rolene Lessing and Jaydin Margerman, who had just celebrated her 27th birthday on Wednesday, were travelling in a red Volkswagen Polo. The pair had reportedly been attending the funeral of a close friend’s father earlier that day and had stopped at a local shop when the gunmen struck.
According to Margerman’s uncle, Adrian Lansberg, two gunmen approached the vehicle and opened fire without warning. A third person who was in the car managed to escape the hail of bullets and alerted the families. The motive for the attack remains unclear, though speculation in the community suggests it may have been gang-related.
“You never think that these things will hit so close to home,” Lansberg said. “We’ve seen this on a daily basis, and families are getting used to hearing about young men being shot. But it is becoming more and more that young women are also being slaughtered. It is just senseless killing.”
The Ultimate Sacrifice
The tragedy deepened when two members of the SAPS Anti-Gang Unit (AGU), who were conducting crime prevention patrols in the area, heard the gunshots and rushed to the scene. As the officers approached the site of the initial shooting, they were allegedly ambushed by the same gunmen.
Both officers were fatally wounded and were declared dead at the scene. The government and police leadership have unequivocally condemned the killings, describing the attack on the officers as an assault on the state itself.
Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane appealed to the Reiger Park community to break their silence. “Someone in the community would have seen what happened or knows who was responsible. Our family members cannot be left like that on the side of the road,” she said.
A Family Shattered
For the family of Rolene Lessing, the loss is particularly devastating. Lessing, described as a "social butterfly" and a dedicated protector of her loved ones, leaves behind a six-year-old son. Her cousin, Sharney Blackway, said the family is struggling to understand why she was targeted.
“Rolene was a family person. She lost her parents at a very young age, which caused her to grow up quickly. For her to be taken away from us like this, leaving behind her six-year-old son, is devastating,” Blackway said.
She pleaded with anyone with information to come forward to prevent other families from experiencing the same agony. “These are people’s children. These are people’s mothers. This violence has to come to an end.”
A Mayor’s Promise
Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza visited the bereaved families on Saturday, bringing social workers to provide counselling to the relatives and the wider community. He acknowledged that the residents of Reiger Park are living in constant fear and that a short-term response is no longer enough.
“The metro municipality, SAPS, and private security companies are working together to strengthen operations in the area,” Xhakaza said. He promised that the city would intensify efforts to tackle the gangs, drugs, and criminality that have plagued the suburb for years.
The Mayor also noted that some of the suspected perpetrators are known within the community, urging residents to assist law enforcement in making arrests.
The Search for Justice
Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni has mobilised a massive task force to track down the killers. The investigation now involves Crime Intelligence, the Tracking Team, Crime Scene Management, and the Hawks.
As of Sunday morning, no arrests had been made. The police have warned that the suspects are armed and dangerous. The double murder of the Anti-Gang Unit members has sparked a nationwide outcry, with the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) calling for a thorough and swift investigation to ensure the perpetrators face the full might of the law.
Reiger Park has long been a flashpoint for gang violence in Gauteng, but the killing of two women and two police officers in a single night has marked a dark new chapter for the community. As the forensic teams continue their work and the families prepare for funerals, the people of Reiger Park are left waiting for the justice they so desperately need.
Anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects is urged to contact their nearest police station or call the Crime Stop hotline on 08600 10111.
