A suspect is appearing in the Knysna Magistrates Court on Monday, whom police believe was the hitman who killed former Knysna mayor, Aubrey Tsengwa.
Tsengwa was gunned down while in his car in the Joodsekamp area in August, with three other occupants of the vehicle having been wounded in the attack.
READ MORE: Two arrests following murder of former Knysna mayor Aubrey Tsengwa – Smile 90.4FM
The Southern Cape police spokesperson, Chris Spies, said the Political Killings Task Team managed to track the 44-year-old suspect down in Knysna, leading to his arrest on Friday.
“The Political Killings Task Team (PKTT)-led investigation into the murder of former Knysna Executive Mayor, Aubrey Tsengwa, has led to the arrest of a 44-year-old hitman. The investigation led the team to Peddie in the Eastern Cape, where a takedown operation was conducted on Friday, 06 November 2026, resulting in the arrest of the suspect,” said Spies.
He becomes the third suspect in the case, following the arrests of two others, in the week after Tsengwa’s murder.
46-year-old Vusumzi Gungu and 39-year-old Thobelani Lakhe were arrested on 24 August on charges of conspiracy to commit murder, having already made court appearance in this regard. They remain in police custody, with the next court appearance scheduled for 10 December.
The motive for his murder remains unclear but was preceded by the murder of another ANC member, Mandla Matiwane, and taxi leader Mandla Tyololo, with investigation into these incidents also still ongoing.
