Ga-Rankuwa community leader gruesomely killed in full view of community
More than 50 people were present when community leader Godfrey Gouwe was shot several times in Ga-Rankuwa on Thursday evening.
A Ga-Rankuwa community leader was shot several times and killed in full view of the community on Thursday evening.
Community leader Godfrey Gouwe sustained seven gunshot wounds after he was shot by two unknown assailants in front of community members waiting to get water in Mapiti, zone 7, one of the areas affected by widespread water outages in the region.
Ward 32 councillor Floyd Thema, who was with Gouwe a few minutes before he died, said that the victim was waiting for water tankers at the site of water distribution when the incident took place.
“We were in zone 16 at a fire hydrant filling up water into the tankers to take to zone 7. Gouwe drove off first in his car to oversee the water distribution at the site because community members were waiting,” Thema said.
“When I got to the site around 18:40, I found him in his car, full of blood and badly injured in his head. I tried to wake him up but he was unresponsive. It was a traumatic scene that I will never forget.”
Thema said there were about 50 people who were waiting for the water who witnessed the tragic shooting of Gouwe.
“The people who saw the shooting told me there were two unknown armed men who arrived at the site. One-shot two rounds into the air to disperse the crowd before shooting him.”
Thema said about 10 bullets were fired at the victim’s car.
He said Gouwe’s death was a shock to the whole community.
“Affectionately known as ‘Bringa’, he lived for the people. He was a diligent man,” said Thema.
Police spokesperson Shimi Tsheole said the police had concluded the identification processes of the body and therefore could confirm it is Gouwe.
Tsheole, however, confirmed that the police responded to a fatal shooting of a man at zone 7.
“A male’s body was found riddled with bullets in his car in zone 7 on Thursday. He sustained seven gunshot wounds.”
Tsheole said the police were investigating a case of murder.
“No suspects were arrested, we cannot confirm the identity of the man yet.”
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