Mahikeng community activist Thato Molosankwe was shot dead at his home in Lo-manya-neng village in the early hours of Thursday morning. Police were on the scene, cordoning off the area and gathering information about the killing.
According to his brother, Leviticus Molosankwe, the family received a call around 6:00 a.m. from a younger sibling who lives in the same compound and operates a taxi business ferrying children to school. Thato stayed in a small room at the family’s shop and business centre. Upon arrival, Leviticus found the area already cordoned off by police. Paramedics arrived shortly afterwards, confirmed his death after about 10 minutes, and left the scene.
Leviticus said the family was given the opportunity to view the body later as it was treated as a crime scene. He reported multiple bullet wounds to the lower body, from the abdomen downward, with no apparent shots to the face, head, upper body, or shoulders. Reports indicated as many as 12 bullets may have been fired.
“The entire Molosankwe family and relatives, including our local people, have gathered here to give us support,” Leviticus said. “We are very, very saddened about it. We knew that Tat was an activist but we did not anticipate that today we would talk about his passing. It was too early for him to pass on.”
Thato Molosankwe was known as a vocal activist against criminal activities not only in Mahikeng and the North West province but across the country.
North West MEC for Public Safety Wessels Morweng described the killing as a devastating loss of a social activist who advocated for social justice. “It is quite disappointing to learn of this news,” the MEC said. He confirmed the matter has received national attention, with Acting National Commissioner General Puleng Dimpane issuing a statement. The Murder and Robbery Unit is on site.
“We are confident that the men and women in blue will bring these perpetrators to book,” Morweng added. He urged the community to remain calm during this difficult time and said authorities would ensure the case is strongly prepared for prosecution so that those responsible are imprisoned for a long time.
Community members who gathered at the scene expressed shock and sadness. Residents described Thato as someone who assisted people in registering businesses and encouraged local entrepreneurship. One resident credited him with helping them start a business. Others called for the swift arrest of those responsible and for police to establish a dedicated task team to work around the clock on the case.
The motive for the killing remains unknown. Police investigations are ongoing.