Tragedy has struck the Ekurhuleni municipality following the brutal murder of Mpho Mafole, the municipality's audit head, a mere 90 days after he took up his position. Mafole was gunned down on Monday evening just ten minutes away from his home, leaving behind grieving family, colleagues, and elderly parents who have now lost their only child.
Mafole's life was cut short while driving on the R23 near Kempton Park, in the eastern part of the city. His car was ambushed and riddled with bullets, leaving him dead at the scene. Police discovered his bloodied body slumped in his seat, still wearing his seatbelt amidst shattered glass.
Mafole had joined the municipality in April as the group divisional head of corporate audits and forensic investigations. Prior to this, he dedicated 15 years of service to the Auditor-General. His untimely death has sent shockwaves through the municipality and the broader community.
News24 spoke to Mafole’s cousin, Khanyisile Mmatli, who recounted the horror of finding his body in his car. “It was the worst thing that we had ever imagined,” she said, adding: “The only window that was totally broken was the driver’s window … it was very bloody.” This haunting image is now a lasting memory for the family.
His family and line manager remember him for his strong work ethic, his dedication to good governance, his professionalism, and his commitment to resolving systemic issues within his field. On the day of his murder, Mafole attended a board meeting with the City of Ekurhuleni’s group chief audit executive, Phillip Rakgwale, who spoke highly of Mafole's integrity and work ethic.
Rakgwale recalled their last conversations: “We attended a board meeting together on that day, and it was a whole-day session. We obviously [spent] most of the time together that day and had good conversations." He added, "I still said to him that he just recently joined us, and he mustn’t leave us. He said that you lose touch if you stay in one place for long, so he will maybe leave after five years and join another organisation so that he can become sharp in the industry.”
Rakgwale described Mafole as a man of principle: “He has always been righteous, doing the right things … a man of integrity. He won’t do anything that is untoward, that will go against integrity." He also highlighted Mafole's dedication to his work: “He has been known to do his work very well and thoroughly. He has always been on point and delivered within the timelines. He was a very responsible individual,” Rakgwale added, expressing his disbelief: “It is very tough to really understand what happened there.”
While Mafole did not explicitly express concerns about his safety, Rakgwale acknowledged the inherent risks associated with their profession: "Our type of work is a risky occupation."
Mmatli emphasized Mafole's devotion to his family, his career, and his community in Tembisa. She said he was known for his integrity, professionalism, and commitment to law and order. She shared his personal motto: "I want to fix the culture. If I don’t fix it, I will be part of the culture, and I don’t want that." She added, “He wanted to build something that he could be remembered for.”
The tragedy is compounded by the fact that Mafole was the only child of ageing parents. "The mom is very sickly, and now they have lost the only child they had,” Mmatli said, highlighting the devastating impact of his death on his family.
The family is calling for swift action from law enforcement to bring the perpetrators to justice. “We are praying and hoping that this is not going to be one of those cases where it is talked about and then, after a week, nothing happens," Mmatli said. “We are really praying that the perpetrators are brought to book to honour his memory.”
City of Ekurhuleni spokesperson Phakamile Mbengashe stated that the municipality takes the safety and security of its employees seriously, especially those in high-risk roles. “The City has processes in place to assess and address security risks as they arise, and we continuously review these measures in consultation with law enforcement and other relevant authorities,” Mbengashe said.
Roxane Ferreira, the head of operations at the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), condemned Mafole's murder, stating: "This tragedy is part of a deeply concerning pattern of targeted violence against whistleblowers, investigators and anti-corruption professionals in South Africa." She added, “ACFE SA unequivocally condemns these acts of violence and calls on law enforcement authorities to pursue Mpho’s killers and the masterminds behind them with urgency. Justice delayed in these cases only strengthens the climate of impunity.”
Professor William Gumede of the Wits School of Governance warned that the killing, along with other targeted killings, is pushing the country towards lawlessness, threatening democracy, and silencing those who stand against corruption. Gumede said the killing of key officials was becoming “almost routine" and sends a chilling message to other investigators and to good people in the public sector who are fearful that something like this could happen to them if they blow the whistle or investigate wrongdoing."
Ferreira urged law enforcement to act urgently to identify and prosecute both the killers and those behind the crime, emphasising that “Mpho Mafole’s death must be a turning point to prompt government to increase their efforts to protect those officials who expose corruption.”
Mafole's murder is the latest in a disturbing trend of high-profile hits targeting fraud investigators, forensic accountants, whistleblowers, and police officers. It comes almost a year after the killing of City of Johannesburg fraud investigator Benedict Sithole. The ACFE has condemned the attack and called on law enforcement agencies to act swiftly to prevent a climate of impunity.
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