Philippi residents are in shock after a man was found dead on the streets early Saturday morning, 17 August 2024. The body was discovered on a wet road surface at the corner of Sagwityi Street and Mtsikizi Street, near Mzamomhle Clinic, during heavy rain.
According to local residents, the victim had been heard screaming for help followed by gunshots in the middle of the night. One resident described the scene, saying, “We heard screams and then gunshots. It’s dangerous here, so we stayed inside. My husband wanted to go out, but I stopped him.”
Another resident, Aphiwe Yibe, noted that the victim was found without shoes. “It looks like his shoes were taken after he was killed. I saw the body while heading to a friend’s house.”
Residents suspect that the incident may have been a robbery.
Police spokesman Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi confirmed the investigation. “Nyanga police responded to the scene on Saturday morning and found a male victim with a gunshot wound. The victim was declared dead at the scene. The motive is still unknown, and the suspect has not been apprehended.”
Swartbooi urged anyone with information about the incident to contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111.
The incident happened when Philippi Brown’s Farm recently got a new satelite police station. Residents are calling for more police visibility in their area.
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