A 57-year-old man was shot dead outside a voting station in Boikhutso, Bushbuckridge, while a group of people waited for election results in the early hours of Thursday, 5 November.
The shooting happened at about 12.15am. The victim was among people gathered outside the station as vote counting was being completed and results were awaited.
Mpumalanga police say two men suddenly appeared and opened fire on the group before fleeing. The 57-year-old was struck several times in the upper body.
“It is alleged that two unknown male suspects emerged and started firing shots at the group before fleeing the scene,” Mdhluli said.
The gunfire sent people scrambling. It was only after the shooting that those at the scene realised someone had been hit. A family member rushed the victim to hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival.
Police have opened a murder investigation. The motive remains unknown, and no arrests have been made.
The killing took place during the wait for election results, but police have not said that it was politically motivated. Investigators will need to establish why the group was targeted and whether the shooting was linked to the election celebrations or to another dispute.
The circumstances of the attack remain unclear. Police have not identified the suspects, said how they approached the gathering, or indicated whether they knew the victim. The two men allegedly fled immediately after opening fire, leaving those at the station to respond to the aftermath.
The attack occurred in the early hours, when the group was gathered outside the voting station and waiting for results to be announced. The victim’s family member took him to hospital, but medical staff were unable to save him. The available information does not identify the hospital or say how far it was from the scene.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli said provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Apaphia Modise had ordered that resources be mobilised to find those responsible.
“The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Apaphia Modise, has ordered that all resources be mobilised to ensure that those responsible are brought to book,” he said.
Police are appealing to anyone who may have seen the gunmen, heard the shots or noticed suspicious activity around the voting station to come forward. Even information that may seem minor could help investigators piece together what happened before and after the shooting.
Anyone with information can contact their nearest police station or Crime Stop on 08600 10111. Information can also be submitted anonymously through the MySAPS App.
The investigation is now focused on identifying the two suspects and establishing the motive for the killing. No arrests had been made at the time of the appeal, and police have not announced any further details about the victim or the people who were with him.
The murder has left a gathering that began with people waiting for election results marked by a fatal shooting. Police have urged anyone with information to assist investigators as they work to establish who was responsible and bring the suspects before the court.