A 40-year-old man suspected of fatally shooting his 36-year-old ex-girlfriend in the Free State on 18 August was shot dead in an exchange of gunfire with police while being pursued, provincial police said on Wednesday.
Police pursuit after fatal shooting
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo said the woman was killed in the evening after she finished work in Reitz. According to preliminary information, the victim left her workplace at about 5:45pm and headed to a hitchhiking spot towards Tweeling.
“According to the preliminary information, the victim had knocked off duty as usual at approximately 5:45 pm at her workplace in Reitz and proceeded towards a [hitchhiking] spot in the direction of Tweeling,”
The woman reportedly boarded a white vehicle not knowing her former boyfriend was already inside. When the vehicle reached 10th Street in Tweeling she got out, and Mbambo said the man then approached and shot her in the head at close range. He fled the scene towards Reitz.
Community tip-offs led police to the suspect
Members of the public alerted police and supplied information about the suspect’s movements. Two police vehicles — one from the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) and another from Tweeling Visible Policing — pursued the man, Mbambo said.
Officers travelling in a Mahindra and wearing civilian clothes spotted the suspect while he was hitchhiking and stopped. The man reportedly approached the Mahindra believing it was a lift. He then noticed a second police vehicle, occupied by uniformed officers, stopping behind the Mahindra.
Mbambo said the suspect drew a firearm and opened fire on the uniformed members. The occupants of the Mahindra were also police officers and returned fire; the man was fatally wounded. Police have opened a murder case into the woman’s death and an inquest docket after the man’s death, the spokesperson said.
Independent probe and next steps
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) will investigate the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s death, the provincial police confirmed. Opening an inquest docket is standard procedure when a death occurs in police custody or following police action.
No further details about the firearm used, the number of shots fired, or whether officers were injured were provided in the initial police statement. Mbambo’s remarks supplied the basic sequence of events leading to both deaths and the subsequent police response.
Timeline (reported events)
| When | Event |
|---|---|
| 18 August 2026, ~5:45pm | Woman knocked off duty in Reitz and went to hitchhiking spot towards Tweeling |
| 18 August 2026, evening | Woman alighted from a white vehicle on 10th Street in Tweeling and was shot in the head |
| Later that evening | Public alerted police; officers pursued suspect; shootout occurred and suspect died |
What this means for the community
The incident underlines the dangers survivors of intimate-partner violence face when they still have contact with former partners. It also raises immediate questions about police operations and use of force that IPID will address in its probe.
Residents who witnessed the events or who have information are likely to be asked by SAPS investigators to come forward. Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit members are involved, reflecting the gender-based nature of the alleged killing.
Practical information for readers
- If you have information about this incident, contact Tweeling SAPS to assist their investigation.
- Anyone facing threats from a former partner can approach their nearest police station to open a case and ask for protection measures.
- Support services for victims of gender-based violence are available through non-governmental organisations and provincial social services; SAPS FCS units can provide referrals.
The provincial police statement did not disclose the names of the victim or the deceased suspect. An inquest docket has been registered in addition to the murder case, and IPID will probe the shooting that killed the suspect. Further details are expected as those investigations progress.
Location: Tweeling / Reitz, Free State.
