A 37-year-old father was killed and three other people were wounded when gunmen opened fire on a group of people in Wesbank on Saturday night.
The shooting happened at about 6.45pm at a house in Avila Street, off Wesbank Main Road.
The deceased has been identified as Jeneul Absolom, also known as Nielas.
Absolom was visiting a friend when the shooting took place. He was shot in the head and later found lying in front of premises on Wesbank Main Road. Medical personnel declared him dead at the scene.
Two women, aged 43 and 50, and a 60-year-old man were also hit during the attack. They were taken to a medical facility for treatment.
Police have opened a murder case and three counts of attempted murder. The motive is believed to be gang-related.
Provincial police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said Mfuleni SAPS members were already in the area when the shooting happened.
“Mfuleni SAPS members was patrolling in Avila Street, Wesbank when they heard gunshots in Wesbank Main Road and immediately responded to that direction.
“As they approached Wesbank Main Road, they were stopped by a member of the community who pointed out the crime scene to them.
“Members observed the body of a 37-year-old male lying in front of a premises, with gunshot wounds to his head. He was declared deceased at the crime scene by medical personnel.
“Three injured victims, two females aged 43 and 50, and one male aged 60 were transported to hospital. Circumstances surrounding this shooting incident are under investigation.
“Mfuleni police registered a murder and three counts of attempted murder for investigation. The motive is believed to be gang related.”
The shooting has left Absolom’s family and friends mourning a man they described as warm, friendly and full of life.
Tributes have since been shared on social media, with friends and relatives posting messages of condolence and remembering the father affectionately known as Nielas.
His eldest brother told the Daily Voice that he was in Wesbank visiting his “skoon familie” when he received the news that his youngest brother had been killed.
The brother said: “Jenuel is my youngest brother and the only one who passed away at the scene. He was visiting a friend at the time of the shooting. I don’t know the other victims.
“I used to live in Wesbank but I no longer live there. At the time of the shooting, I was in Wesbank visiting my skoon familie when I was informed of the incident.
“The best way to describe my brother is a people’s person. Whenever we had family gatherings, he was always the entertainment, making jokes and being friendly.”
Absolom’s death has again placed focus on gun violence in Wesbank, where residents have repeatedly had to live with shootings linked to gang activity.
Saturday night’s attack unfolded in a busy residential area, where families were still awake and people were moving around the neighbourhood. Police officers from Mfuleni SAPS were patrolling nearby in Avila Street when they heard gunfire coming from the direction of Wesbank Main Road.
Their quick response led them to the scene, but by the time they arrived, Absolom had already suffered fatal injuries.
The presence of a community member who directed police to the crime scene also points to the urgency and confusion that often follows shootings in densely populated areas, where residents may hear the shots before knowing who has been hit or where the gunmen have fled.
Police have not yet confirmed how many gunmen were involved, whether the shooters arrived on foot or in a vehicle, or whether any specific person in the group was the intended target.
No arrests have been reported.
The three wounded victims remain part of the police investigation. Their conditions were not immediately confirmed, but police said they had been transported to hospital after the shooting.
Investigators will now have to determine the sequence of events leading up to the attack, identify those responsible and establish whether the shooting was linked to a specific gang dispute or broader tensions in the area.
For Absolom’s family, the investigation is only one part of a much heavier reality. They are now preparing to bury a man remembered by those close to him as the youngest brother who could bring laughter to family gatherings.
His brother’s account paints a picture of a man who was not just another statistic in a violent crime report, but a loved relative and father whose presence was felt strongly among those who knew him.
The fact that Absolom was visiting a friend at the time of the shooting has made his death even harder for relatives to process. According to his brother, he did not know the other victims and had simply been in the area when the gunmen opened fire.
Wesbank, which falls under the policing area of Mfuleni SAPS, has seen repeated concerns over shootings and gang-related violence. Incidents such as Saturday night’s attack often leave families not only grieving, but also searching for answers in communities where fear and silence can make police investigations difficult.
Police have appealed for information as the murder and attempted murder investigation continues.
Anyone with information that could assist Mfuleni police in identifying the gunmen or establishing the motive behind the attack is expected to contact their nearest police station or Crime Stop.
For now, Absolom’s family and friends are remembering him as Nielas — the man who made people laugh, kept family gatherings alive and left behind loved ones struggling to come to terms with his killing.
