News DeskJuly 28, 20262 min readSOUTH AFRICA:
Four shopkeepers, believed to be of Pakistani origin, were shot dead in a suspected targeted attack in the main city of South Africa’s Gauteng province, prompting calls for a thorough investigation from the local Pakistani community leaders.
The victims were killed on Saturday evening in Kempton Park, east of Johannesburg, when gunmen opened fire on their vehicle at a traffic light in the Sebenza area. South African police have launched a murder investigation, but no arrests had been made by Monday.
According to South African news outlet News24, the four men, believed to be Pakistani nationals and local shopkeepers, were travelling in their vehicle when they were ambushed in the evening. Police, however, said they could not officially confirm the victims’ nationalities at that stage.
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi told News24 that the victims had stopped at a red traffic light on Zuurfontein Road when two unidentified men arrived in a white sedan, got out of their vehicle and opened fire.
She said the driver attempted to flee the scene but lost control of the vehicle, which crashed into a traffic island. All four occupants were declared dead at the scene. “The motive of the shooting is unknown at this stage, and the suspects have not been arrested. Police investigations are under way,” Nevhuhulwi said.
Meanwhile, Hayat Khan, President of the Pakistan South Africa Association, condemned the killings, saying that the association was shocked by the attack and stressed that it was heartbreaking to see people lose their lives while trying to earn an honest living and contribute to the South African economy.
According to IOL News, Khan criticised social media users who celebrated the deaths of the victims. Khan described such reactions as deeply disturbing and warned that such behaviour only fuelled division and violence. He urged authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation, bring those responsible to justice.
Khan advised the members of the Pakistani community to remain vigilant, cooperate with community policing initiatives and promptly report threats or suspicious activity to the South African Police Service
The latest killings have renewed concerns over the safety of Pakistani expatriates in South Africa, where several Pakistani nationals have been killed in violent incidents in recent years, including fatal shootings during robberies and attacks on small business owners.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, addressing Parliament on Monday, warned against rising anti-migrant sentiment and incidents of intimidation and violence directed at foreign nationals. He said the government remained firmly opposed to vigilantism and attacks targeting migrants.
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