The 38-year-old victim's car broke down along the N1 and witnesses told police he was murdered by two men driving a Toyota Fortuner.
A man was killed on Saturday night after his vehicle broke down along the N1 in Limpopo.
Police are searching for two suspects who were driving a Toyota Fortuner that initially stopped to offer assistance.
The victim had three passengers who witnessed the murder, but who were fortunate to escape the incident unharmed.
Murdered while seeking help
The 38-year-old victim’s Toyota Corolla suffered a breakdown near the Ben Lavin turnoff while en route to Musina.
At roughly 7pm, the two suspects in stopped in their Fortuner.
Witnesses told the police that the suspects asked for the driver of the vehicle and then shot him without warning.
“Upon being pointed out, one of the suspects immediately produced a firearm and shot at the identified driver several times,” stated Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba.
“The three other occupants ran in different directions for their safety. The suspects then boarded their vehicle and fled from the scene,” the Brigadier confirmed.
Makhado police and paramedics were called to the scene, where the victim was certified dead.
“The motive behind the murder is currently unknown. His identity is currently withheld for investigation purposes,” explained Mashaba.
A case of murder has been opened by police, and investigators are asking for any information that could lead to the apprehension of the suspects.
Crime stats
Recent crime statistics released by police show that reported murders had decreased by 12.4% nationally from the corresponding period last year.
Murders reported for the fourth quarter — January to March — for the 2024/25 financial year were down to 5 727 for those three months.
Attempted murder cases registered with police were also down 5.8% from the corresponding quarter to 6 985.
Limpopo saw one of the biggest decreases in murders for the last reported quarter, down 26% from the same quarter of the previous financial year.
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