Police have made no arrests following three murders in Alexandra between September 7 and 13, Alexandra Police Station Commander Brigadier Vusimuzi Ngubane has confirmed.

A 34-year-old woman was fatally shot outside her home on the night of September 9 in the presence of her child. Ngubane said two men approached the property at about 21:00, and as soon as she came out, they opened fire and fled.

Police have not yet confirmed a motive, but Ngubane said early indications suggest the incident could be linked to illegal evictions, a persistent problem in Alexandra where groups forcibly occupy properties without legal claim to them.

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Ngubane said the second killing stemmed from an apparent road-rage confrontation between the drivers of a white Polo and a Siyaya taxi. He said there was a tense stand-off in which both drivers refused to yield right of way, switching off their vehicles and blocking traffic. Police said as the taxi eventually passed, the Polo driver allegedly opened fire on the taxi driver, who died later at a local clinic.

Ngubane said the police launched a third investigation into the fatal shooting of a man during the police’s stop and search operation near Fourth Avenue and Alfred Nzo Street on September 13. Ngubane said officers attempted to search a vehicle when a shootout allegedly broke out. He said a passenger who was in the vehicle fled on foot, while the driver allegedly opened fire on officers before being fatally shot during the incident.

Ngubane confirmed that police recovered a firearm and ammunition at the scene. He said dockets for attempted murder, relating to the shots allegedly fired at police, and murder, against the officers involved, have been opened. A murder docket is opened as standard investigative practice following a fatal police shooting and an alleged exchange of fire, not as an automatic finding of guilt.

The case has been referred to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, whose national spokesperson, Lizzy Suping, confirmed the matter is under investigation.

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Mixed progress across other crime categories

Carjacking cases remained comparatively low, with only two reported, though Ngubane cautioned that Alexandra’s hijackers continue to target e-hailing drivers to feed demand stretching well beyond the township.

Assault cases saw stronger enforcement outcomes. Of 15 common assault incidents, police made nine arrests, while two further arrests followed 11 cases involving grievous bodily harm. Ngubane attributed this to the fact that suspects and victims in assault cases are often known to each other, making apprehension easier.

Two sexual offence cases remain under investigation, with suspects identified but not yet arrested.

Drug- and alcohol-related enforcement yielded more tangible results, with eight arrests for drug offences and 13 for driving under the influence. Police also arrested two suspects linked to four house burglary and theft cases. The week’s largest single enforcement action, however, involved Immigration Act offences, with 44 undocumented migrants arrested.

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