Former Sizok’thola presenter Xolani Khumalo allegedly followed a man to his Tembisa home and shot him in the arm after showering his vehicle with a hail of bullets in the murky streets of the township earlier on.
The incident, which was kept hush-hush, occurred on New Year’s Eve in the Motaung section.
According to a short police statement, which we have seen, the victim, Xolani Shabangu, said he was driving on a street in the section when a silver Ford Ranger with an unknown registration number followed him.
He said he sped off, with the bakkie in hot pursuit.
During the speed chase, the occupants of the bakkie fired a hail of bullets at him.
“He then alleged that he drove until he got to his place of residence and stopped by the drive away. And when he got out of the vehicle, two occupants got out of the Ford Ranger and shot him in the right arm,” read the statement.
He said he was able to recognise Khumalo from the two armed men. Shabangu opened a case of attempted murder against Khumalo at Tembisa Police Station.
Sunday World learned that after the shooting incident Shabangu was admitted to a local hospital, where he was treated for the gunshot wound he sustained and was later discharged.
After opening the case, the detectives investigating the case, mistakenly went to the house of the new Sizok’thola presenter, Xolani Maphanga, where they left a note for him to come to the cop shop after not finding him at home.
The police officers ordered that he ask for a detective Kgomo in connection with the case when he arrived at the police station.
When Maphanga arrived there, the police wanted to arrest him for attempted murder, but Maphanga put up a fight, telling them that he had nothing to do with the matter and that they got the wrong man.
On further investigation, the police discovered that it was in fact Khumalo who allegedly shot Shabangu and not Maphanga, as they thought.
Sunday World understands that Shabangu withdrew the matter after reaching an out-of-court settlement agreement with Khumalo.
This would have exacerbated Khumalo’s woes as he is attending trial for the murder of an East Rand man, Robert Valerie.
Valerie died when a Sizok’thola- crew, allegedly led by Khumalo, descended on his home and interrogated him about his alleged drug-dealing in July last year.
Khumalo is also facing two more charges of malicious damage to property and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
He appeared in the Palm Ridge magistrate’s court last month, and his case was postponed to April 11 after the state had not received video footage of the alleged incident from the Moja Love channel, which owns and airs the show.
The footage in question is said to be of use in identifying further suspects in the murder, police said.
Gauteng police spokesperson, Mavela Masondo, confirmed that a case of attempted murder was opened against Khumalo.
“ However, the complainant withdrew the case, stating that they have resolved the matter out of court,” he said.
