Police hunt for suspects involved in Rand Water exec and Joburg council chief whip shooting

Gauteng police are searching for a group of suspects involved in the shooting of a Rand Water executive and wounded City of Johannesburg Council Chief Whip Sithembiso Zungu.

The executive has been identified as Teboho Joala, Rand Water’s chief shared services officer.

Joala and another individual were shot and killed in full view of over 70 primary school pupils at a Rand Water event in the Zakariyya Park community hall, south of Johannesburg, on Monday.

Shooting

Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said several suspects entered the hall where there was a donation function and started shooting before fleeing the scene in an unknown white vehicle.

“Two people were declared dead on the scene, while three were taken to hospital with gun shot wounds. The police are on the lookout for suspects following the shooting.”

“The motive of the shooting is unknown at this stage. Police request anyone who may have information that can assist with investigation to contact the Crime Stop Line at 08600 10111 or anonymously report tip-offs on MySapsApp,” Nevhuhulwi said.

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Pupil counselling

Rand Water said the donations that were handed out at the event were meant to help disadvantaged pupils with school essentials.

Meanwhile, the Gauteng department of education said the pupils were from Lehae Primary School, Olifantsvlei Primary School, Moses Marne Missions Technical School and Elethu Themba Public School

The department said none of the pupils or teaching staff was injured.

“We have dispatched psychosocial support to all affected schools to provide necessary trauma counselling. We convey our condolences to families of the deceased and wish the ward councillor a speedy recovery” said Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane.

CIT heist

In a separate incident, one security officer was killed and another wounded following an alleged cash-in-transit heist in Durban.

It is believed the robbery took place off Warwick Avenue just after 8am on Monday morning.

Police are investigating the incident.

Addtional reporting by Itumeleng Mafisa

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