LIMPOPO – Police in Giyani investigate the fatal shooting of a 59-year-old businessman from Mbaula village on Tuesday evening after assailants pretended to be customers wanting to buy sand from him.

According to a police statement, the victim, a businessman from Makhuva village, received a call from an anonymous customer placing an order for river sand. Following his usual practice, the victim went to collect the sand and was on his way to deliver it when he was stopped by two men pretending to be the customers who had placed the order.

The suspects allegedly opened fire on the victim without warning, fatally wounding him and leaving him at the scene. A passenger who was travelling in the truck with him managed to flee but sustained a gunshot wound to the leg during the attack.

Despite the injury, the passenger was able to escape to safety and was later rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention. Community members alerted the police. Upon arrival, officers discovered a truck loaded with sand parked in the middle of the road, upon inspecting, they discovered a lifeless body of a man inside, bearing multiple gunshot wounds.

The motive behind the shooting is unknown. Police have since launched an investigation into the incident, describing it as a senseless act of violence. Authorities are appealing to anyone with information that could assist in identifying and apprehending the perpetrators to come forward.

Anyone with information that could assist in identifying or locating the suspects is urged to contact Lieutenant Colonel Jan Mbalati at 082 565 6491 or call the crime stop hotline at 08600 10111. All information will be confidential, and callers may choose to remain anonymous.