SHOCKED KwaThema residents are mourning the death of a “hero” community activist who was brutally gunned down two years ago.
To date police ave did not arrest his killers.
The tense community vows that his death will not stop their war against foreign-owned spaza shops!
Tshepo Mwelase (42) died in a hail of bullets two years ago after unknown gunmen opened fire on him, leaving him dead on the spot.
This comes after his life had been under threat for months, especially after he took to the forefront of a fiery campaign to chase foreign shop owners out of the area.
Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) member and community leader, Jerry Thabethe, said they targeted the shops for a reason.
“They sold expired foods which led to people getting sick,” Thabethe said. “Tshepo has been a fighter since his school days as a member of PASO, and went on to fight for service delivery in his community.”
On 2 February this year, Tshepo and residents took matters into their own hands and hired a crane to physically remove foreign-owned spaza shops from the township.
But blood was soon spilled. Just hours after the job was done, the crane driver was shot dead and the crane was set alight near the N17 highway.
Another community leader, Nhlanhla Mbatha, revealed that Tshepo’s enemies tried everything to silence him before turning to guns.
“Some promised to buy him a car and a house. Others promised him exorbitant amounts of money, but he refused to take them because he felt he would be betraying his people,” Mbatha said.
Despite the bloody assassination, brave residents say they are not backing down and have vowed that no foreign-owned spaza shop will ever operate in KwaThema again.
“Tshepo has passed on the baton to us... we will continue with the struggle. Death does not scare us,” said an defiant leader, Thando Teke.
“Tshepo had enemies everywhere and we don’t want to point fingers because we don’t know who killed him. We allow the law to take its course.”
Tshepo’s heartbroken aunt, Mateboho Tahane, said the family has been left devastated.
“His killers are happy that they have eliminated him, but they too will die one day,” she said bitterly.
Ekurhuleni District police spokeswoman, Captain Nelda Sekgobela, confirmed that a case of murder has been opened and cops are hot on the heels of the killers.
