Former JMPD chief and public safety MMC David Tembe found dead

A long-serving figure in Johannesburg’s municipal security network has been found dead.

The death of former Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) Chief and former MMC of Public Safety in the city, David Tembe was confirmed on Tuesday morning.

JMPD spokesperson Superintendent Xolani Fihla confirmed to The Citizen that the department had received notification of Tembe’s passing, adding that a statement would come from the office of Public Safety MMC Mgcini Tshwaku.

Tembe had been acting as a strategic advisor for Tshwaku’s office and had been deployed in various capacities, including to deal with taxi violence at Maponya Mall in August.

Tembe served as JMPD chief while Herman Mashaba was Johannesburg mayor and the ActionSA leader paid a short tribute to the former chief.

“The level of corruption we uncovered during that period, it is really very scary,” Mashaba told ENCA.

“As part of the overall picture of my administration, David Tembe was one of the key components. For me personally, it is a real great loss to our country,” Mashaba added.

Tembe found unresponsive

MMC Tshwaku stated that his office was in a state of “profound sadness” at the loss of their colleague.

“[Tembe] was found unresponsive at his private residence yesterday. Emergency services responded promptly, but he was sadly declared deceased at the scene,” said the MMC.

“A post-mortem examination will be conducted to establish the exact cause of death,” he added.

Tembe had served the residents of Johannesburg since 1981 after beginning his career a paramedic.

He was appointed to Chief of the JMPD in 2017 and held the office of MMC for Public Safety between 2021 to 2023.

“The Department of Public Safety stands united in grief and in heartfelt gratitude for Mr David Tembe’s lifelong service to the people of this city,” Tshwaku concluded.

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