‘I played dead after I was shot in the head’

“I was shot in the head, but the bullet came out. After I was shot, I took cover and pretended to be dead in fear of being finished off.”

Ngobese said the IFP suspected that this was a targeted assassination because nothing was taken from either of them.

“We were not expecting something like this to happen. We don’t know the reason behind the shooting. They shot at us, but there was a huge group of people outside the venue. There were even young children.

“I fear for my life because I don’t know if these people will come back and finish me off,” Ngobese said.

Gauteng police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said no arrests had been made and investigations were continuing.

Sithole’s uncle, who asked not to be named out of fear for his safety, said the incident happened a few metres away from where he had been standing.

“I just heard gunshots. I then asked, ‘Who has been shot?’ and was told it was my nephew. When I came closer to the scene, I realised that he [Sithole] was already dead. I had to close his eyes and take off his watch,” said the uncle.

“I don’t know why my nephew had to be killed in such a violent manner because he was a peaceful man and a peacemaker. I believe he was targeted. If they were shooting at everyone [at the event], why was he the only one who was killed?