A deadly hit was made on the general manager of Zwane Inspections in Middelburg yesterday afternoon.

Sibongakonke ‘Konke’ Sylvester Zwane (39) lost his life in the hospital shortly after his arrival.

The tragic incident unfolded at about 16:00 on Dr Beyers Naudé Drive.

Bystanders saw Zwane, who was driving a Volkswagen Amarok, crash and come to a standstill at the slipway to the underground parking of the Wonderpark Centre.

Details about the motive of the hit are still unclear, and while an eyewitness suspects it might have been an attempted hijacking, his colleagues suspect he was assassinated.

A motorist told the Middelburg Observer that he saw Zwane’s Amarok driving towards Wes Street and was surprised to see a heavyset man hanging into the driver’s side window. A few moments later, the eyewitness heard gunshots and immediately made a U-turn to escape out of fear for his life.

Other eyewitnesses in the area saw a suspicious looking white double-cab bakkie.

The man shot Zwane multiple times.

After the shooting, Zwane drove towards Dr Beyers Naudé Drive where he lost control and drove onto the pavement near the Wonderpark Centre.

When the crash happened, bystanders called an ambulance and tried to aid Zwane while they waited for emergency medical personnel to arrive. He sadly died at the hospital upon arrival.

Sombre mood

Middelburg Observer visited Zwane Inspections this morning. The mood was sombre, with colleagues shocked by the passing of their manager.

The HR manager, Nokuthula Zwane, described Zwane as an intelligent, brave and excellent leader. She said the organisation was shocked by the incident and added they want justice to be served.

The company provides non-destructive testing (NDT)) and metallographic replication services on metal surfaces.

The deceased

Zwane started from humble beginnings in Dennilton, Limpopo.

He had an extensive educational background, and experience in engineering. He completed his B-Tech in metallurgical engineering, as well as a MBA at the University of the Witwatersrand in metallurgy and welding.

Before his untimely death, he had just completed his NDT and was only left with his practicals.

He is survived by his three young children (the youngest five months old), his wife, mother, and siblings.

The Middelburg police have opened a murder docket and are investigating the case.

Funeral arrangements for Zwane have not yet been confirmed.