The Gauteng government is worried that other staff members could become victims of targeted hits after the weekend slaying of senior housing official Teboho Makhoa.
The 52-year-old Makhoa was gunned down at the weekend, with 28 bullets shot into his vehicle in the Spruitview area.
On Monday, Gauteng human settlements, urban planning and Cogta MEC Lebogang Maile — along with Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina, other government officials and SAPS — visited Makhoa's home.
Maile said the provincial government was concerned that some staff members might be targeted.
Police spokesperson Capt Mavela Masondo said police have opened a murder case into the incident.
Maile confirmed that Makhoa might have been taken out because of his responsibility at work. He described him as an honest employee, which was why he was targeted.
“We’ve got reason to believe and suspect that some of our staff members might be targeted. This is based on the decisions that we would have made about the allocations of houses, because there are people who have illegally occupied houses. It was us [the politicians] who took a decision that we must evict those people,” Maile said.
He said police had confirmed that there were syndicates who were responsible for invasions of houses and land.
“Though they project this as some pro-revolutionary programme of redistributing land and giving our people land and houses, it’s not. It's just pure criminal activity, and that is why we are saddened that today we had to lose one of our hard-working, dedicated and long-serving staff members the way we did,” he said.
Maile called on members of the public not to speculate about what happened, as police were hard at work unravelling the crime.
Masina said he had known Makhoa for more than 25 years and grew up in the same township.
He said Makhoa was a role model.
“I have seen him from his first day working for the provincial government to the last day.
“Throughout his life, he was a humble servant of the people. He was never corrupt. He never got involved in some RDP selling schemes. He is not that kind of person; it was not in his nature.
“I never thought that a humble person like him can be killed so brutally,” he said.
A family representative, Tshepiso Phiri, said the family was devastated by the murder.
“He's lost to his five children. He has always been a leader in our family, has always been a kind person, very humble, very committed, very honest. So we were devastated yesterday when all these speculations were being put up on social media.
“We ask at this time to be given space to mourn our uncle, our father, and to allow us to come to terms with this horrific experience that we are going through,” she said.
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