Johannesburg - The teenage daughter of a Freedom Park ward councillor and mediator in taxi wars watched in horror as her father was shot dead at their family home on Monday night.
On Tuesday morning she broke down in tears as she recalled how her father Mbuyiselo Dokolwana lay in a pool of blood after being murdered by an unknown man.
The 13-year-old told The Star that her father, an ANC ward councillor, arrived home from a meeting in Braamfontein at about 8pm on Monday night.
“I went outside to close the gate for him and then I saw a man with a gun wearing a balaclava and blue overalls parked outside.”
She then ran to the neighbour’s house for help but it was too late, as moments later she heard her father scream followed by multiple gunshots.
“When I came out of the neighbour’s house I saw my father lying on the ground,” she said.
Dokolwana’s other relatives, including his wife and older daughter, were also at the house at the time.
His sister, Lindiya, confirmed he had arrived home from a meeting when he was gunned down.
While the motive for the killing is not yet known, she believes his murder was linked to elections or recent taxi violence.
At least two people have been shot and killed since January in the area near Eldorado Park, while scores more have been injured in the alleged battle over routes.
Family friend Onica Mputle said a woman had overheard, while driving in a taxi last week, that there had been a hit out for Dokolwana and had reported it to him last week.
Other family members also said he had received threatening SMSes recently, but couldn't locate the senders as the numbers were unavailable when he tried to call back.
When news of Dokolwana’s death broke late on Monday night, community members were up in arms and took to the streets in protest.
They barricaded the roads with large rocks and burning tyres.
On Tuesday morning, these remnants where still strewn across the streets, making it difficult for motorists to drive inside.
A large contingent of both SAPS and JMPD officers arrived at the house with a Nyala on Tuesday morning.
They were met by enraged community members who congregated outside the premises and demanded an end to the violence in the area.
On Tuesday morning, Gauteng police spokesman Captain Tsekiso Mofokeng said: “I can confirm the ward councillor was shot and killed last night. Police are still on the scene investigating the circumstances surrounding the murder so at this time I cannot confirm why this happened.”
He said the motive for the murder was still unclear.
Monday night’s murder was the latest of three separate attacks to take place recently involving politically related figures.
On Monday service delivery protesters burnt down a KwaZulu-Natal ward councillor’s home during a service delivery protest.
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The Star