Pretoria - The chief security officer of the Tshwane Metro Police Department was mysteriously gunned down on the Mabopane highway in Akasia in the early hours of on Monday.
Veli Masemola, 39, from Soshanguve, was found dead next to the Brits Road off-ramp, with his car still idling in the road.
Police were called to the scene after motorists noticed a green Toyota Tazz, with no driver.
“At this point we can only confirm that one of our senior officials has been killed. We are not sure what exactly happened,” said metro police spokesman Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba. Masemola’s body was dumped in the tall grass next to the off-ramp.
Police believe he was assaulted before being shot. “It seemed he was kicked,” Mahamba said.
Mahamba said a post-mortem on Tuesday would determine where and how many times Masemola was shot.
“At this point we are not sure what the motive for the killing is,” Mahamba said.
Nothing was stolen from the car and the key was left in the ignition.
Both Masemola’s cellphones and other personal belongings were left untouched.
“The only thing wrong with the car was that all four tyres were flat,” said Mahamba.
Masemola was appointed, on the same level as a deputy director, to oversee the security of the city’s properties in June last year.
“This month it would have been a year that Masemola had worked for us,” Mahamba said.
According to his brother, Bongi, Masemola previously worked as a Correctional Services official.
He had also served as a security director for the Department of Social Development in Bloemfontein before moving to the capital city.
He was not married but leaves two young children.
Bongi Masemola could not say whether his brother had any enemies or whether someone wanted him dead.
“He was a quiet, humble person who never lost his temper. Everybody knew him that way in his neighbourhood,” he said.
Mahamba urged anyone with information to contact the police.
“We are concerned about the killing of one of our own. We will co-operate with the SAPS to find those responsible,” he said.
Twitter: @LalivZ
Pretoria News