KNYSNA, Western Cape — Police have launched a murder investigation following the assassination of former Knysna Mayor and ANC councillor Aubrey Tsengwa. The 48-year-old was discovered with multiple gunshot wounds to his head and upper body after a lone gunman allegedly approached his vehicle and opened fire, an attack that also left a passenger injured.
The brazen attack has sent shockwaves through the local political landscape. Levael Davis, the Democratic Alliance’s Knysna mayoral candidate who worked closely with Tsengwa, described the killing as a tragic echo of a similar political assassination in the municipality eight years ago.
Davis noted that the current political climate has drastically altered the safety and security of public representatives. “It makes all councillors sort of feel, are we safe? This is a political time, and we need to be cautious,” Davis stated, adding that while it is premature to definitively label the killing as politically motivated, common sense suggests it is a strong possibility during an election season.
Davis, who has personally faced threats including slashed tires and being pelted with stones, emphasized that political figures cannot allow fear to paralyze them. Instead, he called for decisive, systemic action. Outlining the DA’s public safety strategy, Davis proposed the introduction of 24-hour municipal law enforcement, enhanced training for local officials, and the integration of surveillance technology to protect communities and assets. “We have to budget for it, and it has to be seen in the budget,” he asserted.
The urgency of these measures was echoed by political analyst Sunday Swana, who recently warned that if law enforcement agencies do not dedicate adequate resources to preventing such violence, the 2026 local government elections could potentially become the deadliest in recent history. The concerns are compounded by recent incidents in the Western Cape, including the fatal shooting of a councillor candidate in Dunoon, which is suspected to be linked to failed extortion attempts.
Police are urging anyone with information regarding the assassination of Aubrey Tsengwa to come forward as the investigation remains active.