Police have confirmed the arrest of a fifth suspect on Thursday in connection with a violent road rage incident in Lephalale, Polokwane, last week that tragically resulted in the death of an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire.
The incident unfolded on Friday, March 27, 2026, when a collision occurred on Walter Sisulu Drive between a Citi Golf and a parked NP200.
According to police reports, a confrontation quickly escalated between the two drivers. The NP200 driver allegedly summoned relatives, who arrived armed with firearms and began vandalising the Citi Golf.
The driver of the Citi Golf fled on foot, pursued by the armed group.
According to provincial police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, multiple shots were fired during the chase.
“A male bystander, unrelated to the confrontation, was tragically struck by stray bullets and was certified dead at the scene,” said Ledwaba.
He said four suspects, aged 22 and 23, were apprehended shortly after the incident.
Following an intelligence-driven operation, Ledwaba said, police successfully traced and arrested a fifth suspect, a 23-year-old male, on Thursday, April 2, 2026.
All five suspects face charges of murder and malicious damage to property.
The newly arrested suspect is expected to appear before the Lephalale Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, where he will join his co-accused.
Limpopo Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe commended the investigative team, stating: “Our members have shown persistence in this matter. We are committed to ensuring that all those responsible for this senseless violence are brought to justice.”
Police investigations remain ongoing as efforts continue to locate and apprehend any remaining individuals involved in the deadly altercation.
In related news of road-related violence, according to reports, a black Volkswagen Golf 5 GTI was significantly damaged in a parking lot altercation that took place at a garage in Stanger, KwaZulu-Natal, last month.
Viral social media footage captured a dramatic road rage incident where the driver of an Ashok Leyland Dost small truck repeatedly reversed into a VW Golf, whose occupants had cornered the vehicle before speeding off.
Although the beginning of the altercation was not filmed, the video shows the Golf’s occupants approaching the small truck, only to back away as the truck begins to intentionally ram their car. After hitting the Golf three times while reversing, the truck driver fled the scene, with men at the scene making a final, unsuccessful attempt to physically attack the driver through his window as he escaped.
karen.singh@inl.co.za
