By Zuko Komisa

- Ward 8 councillor and former Knysna mayor Aubrey Tsengwa was shot dead in his vehicle in Joodsekamp on Wednesday evening.
- Police launched a investigation into the attack, which left a passenger injured and the shooter at large.
- Local political figures across party lines condemned the killing and called for swift justice.
Former Knysna Executive Mayor and ANC Ward 8 councillor Aubrey Tsengwa, 48, was fatally shot on Wednesday evening in Joodsekamp.
According to police spokesman Sergeant Wesley Twigg, officers responded to Ngxalo Street around 9:20 pm, where Tsengwa was found with multiple gunshot wounds to his head and upper body and declared dead at the scene.
An unknown gunman approached the vehicle Tsengwa was driving, fired into the car containing three passengers, and fled on foot. One passenger sustained a gunshot wound to the arm and was taken to hospital, whilst the motive remains unknown and no arrests have been made.
“According to preliminary information, the councillor was driving a vehicle with three passengers when they were approached by an unknown man who opened fire on the vehicle before fleeing the scene on foot,” Twigg said.
Knysna Mayor Thando Matika confirmed the news on Thursday morning, while ANC member Phumla Thole expressed grief over the loss of a colleague whose contributions would remain part of their collective memory.
Democratic Alliance mayoral candidate Levael Davis called on the police to apprehend the perpetrators and ensure they face the full force of the law.
Tsengwa previously served as executive mayor from August 2022 after a coalition ousted Davis until February 2025.
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