Prominent local figure gunned down in Joodsekamp
Knysna was left reeling on Thursday after Ndoda Aubrey Tsengwa, a former mayor and current ANC ward councillor, was shot dead in the Joodsekamp area on Wednesday night. Tsengwa, 48, was declared dead at the scene after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds to his head and upper body, police said.
Western Cape police reported that the shooting occurred in Ngxalo Street at about 9:20pm when the vehicle Tsengwa was travelling in was approached by an unknown assailant who opened fire before fleeing on foot. Three other people were in the vehicle; one passenger suffered a gunshot wound to an arm and was taken to hospital for treatment.
Investigation under way
SAPS said detectives from the provincial serious and violent crime unit are investigating. A murder case was opened, together with three counts of attempted murder, and forensic teams processed the scene, police reported. At the time of reporting there had been no arrests and detectives were following up on available leads to establish motive and identify those responsible.
“The motive for the shooting is yet to be determined and no arrests have been made at this stage,” Sergeant Wesley Twigg, a police spokesperson, said in a statement.
The attack adds to a string of incidents in which local councillors and community leaders have been targeted nationally; police statements stressed the priority given to establishing the facts and bringing perpetrators to account.
Political and community responses
Tsengwa served as Knysna mayor from August 2022 until February 2025, when he was removed by a motion of no confidence. The DA offered condolences to Tsengwa’s family and friends and called on SAPS to ensure those responsible face the full might of the law, saying that despite political differences there had been a shared commitment to serving the community.
DA councillor Jason White paid tribute, saying Tsengwa was a recognisable presence in council chambers who could disagree robustly yet collaborate when it mattered. “His contribution will be missed and his voice will be remembered,” White said in a public statement.
Local context and consequences
Knysna is a town where municipal politics frequently intersect with pressing service delivery and development challenges. The killing of a former mayor and sitting ward councillor has immediate implications for local governance and community confidence. Council representation for Tsengwa’s ward will need to be resolved in the coming days and weeks according to municipal and party procedures.
Beyond internal processes, the incident is likely to prompt renewed calls for visible policing and protection for community representatives. Residents and political parties will also be watching how quickly investigators can produce leads and arrests.
- Victim: Ndoda Aubrey Tsengwa, 48, former Knysna mayor, ANC ward councillor
- When and where: Wednesday night, Ngxalo Street, Joodsekamp area; police reported scene time ~9:20pm
- Police action: Murder case opened; three attempted murder charges; forensic processing; provincial serious and violent crime detectives investigating
- Casualties: Tsengwa killed at scene; one passenger wounded and hospitalised
- Political note: Tsengwa served as mayor Aug 2022–Feb 2025; he was removed in a vote of no confidence
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Age | 48 |
| Incident time | About 21:20 (police report) |
| Charges opened | Murder; three counts attempted murder |
| Investigating unit | Provincial serious and violent crime unit |
For Knysna residents this is an unsettling development. Local governance depends on councillors' ability to operate without fear of lethal violence; whether this was a politically motivated attack or a criminal act unrelated to public office remains to be determined by detectives.
Police have urged anyone with information to come forward. As the investigation continues, the town faces the dual task of mourning a local leader and ensuring that mechanisms are in place to maintain municipal services and public calm while detectives carry out their work.
