A 28-year-old man believed to have been a witness in a recent mass shooting in Wesbank was shot dead on Wednesday night, heightening fears in a community already battling gang violence, poor services and growing insecurity.
The man was gunned down along Wesbank Main Road shortly before 8pm. According to police, he was shot in the head and declared dead at the scene by medical personnel.
Provincial police spokesperson Thembakazi Mpendukana confirmed that Mfuleni police had opened a murder case following the shooting.
Mpendukana said: “This office confirms a shooting that happened at the Main Road, Wesbank on Wednesday, 02 September around 19:42 in which a 28-year-old male victim was shot on his head and was declared deceased on the crime scene by medical personnel. Therefore, a murder case was opened at Mfuleni SAPS and the circumstances surrounding this incident are under investigation, no arrest has been effected yet.”
The killing has sparked concern in Wesbank, where community members believe the victim may have been targeted because he was allegedly a witness in an earlier shooting in the same road.
That incident happened on 15 August in Wesbank Main Road, when a 37-year-old man was shot dead and three other people, aged 43, 50 and 60, were wounded. Community sources say the 28-year-old man killed this week was allegedly among those who witnessed the attack.
A Community Police Forum member, who asked not to be named, said there were allegations that the victim had been a witness in the previous shooting. The CPF member also claimed tensions in the area had increased following the release of parolees from prison.
“He was allegedly a witness in a shooting incident and was involved in gangsterism but I cannot confirm that information. Wesbank was quiet for a while until some of the parolees were released from prison without the community’s knowledge,” the CPF member said.
The CPF member said residents were frustrated that former prisoners were being released back into the same communities where they were previously involved in crime, without broader consultation with local safety structures.
“These people are released by Correctional Services and just come back into the same community where they commit crime and the community at large, CPF and police doesn't have a say.
“These prisoners who were released also bring a friend with from other areas because maybe the friend is wanted in their own area now they flee to Wesbank and that is why our community is in the state that it currently is.”
The allegations have not been confirmed by police, who said the circumstances surrounding Wednesday night’s murder remain under investigation. No arrests have been made.
A Wesbank community leader, who also asked not to be named, echoed the CPF member’s claims, saying the victim was believed to have been a witness in the August mass shooting. The leader also alleged that the man had links to gangsterism, adding that residents were often too afraid to speak openly about what they knew.
“He was a witness in a previous murder where a mass shooting happened. He was also involved in gangsterism, people will try to defend their children but we know what is happening in Wesbank,” the community leader said.
The leader said fear had become part of daily life in Wesbank, with residents caught between violent crime and deteriorating basic services. According to the community leader, many people were afraid to report what they witnessed because doing so could place their lives at risk.
“The thing is you saw but you also didn’t see because people fear for their safety. We are dealing with a lot in Wesbank,” the leader said.
The community leader said the area’s challenges went beyond shootings. Residents were also battling sewage overflows, electricity problems and dark streets that made the neighbourhood even more dangerous at night.
“If it is not shooting, then it is sewer running over there or the electricity problem. There are 283 houses without electricity so some roads are pik donker.
“You can’t dare walk at night even if you are in a group, you must stay in your house, not even your yard because people get shot in their yards.”
The leader said community representatives were now planning a meeting with court management to raise concerns about people being released on bail and allegedly returning to Wesbank to cause further instability.
“We are planning a meeting with the management of court because we have people who were released on bail and is now walking the streets of Wesbank causing havoc,” the leader said.
Wednesday night’s killing has deepened anxiety in the area, particularly because of the belief that the victim may have been linked to an earlier shooting case. Residents fear that witnesses and community members could be further targeted if violence continues unchecked.
The murder also highlights the difficult position faced by residents in gang-affected communities, where people may witness serious crimes but feel unable to cooperate openly with authorities because of fear of retaliation.
Police have not confirmed whether the victim was an official witness in the August case or whether his murder was linked to that incident. Investigators are still probing the motive and circumstances behind the shooting.
For now, Wesbank residents remain on edge as Mfuleni police continue investigating the latest murder. No arrests had been made by the time police confirmed the case.
