Keitumetse Mashego: Tributes Pour In for 18-Year-Old Learner Killed in Mamelodi East Hostage Drama
- Keitumetse Mashego was killed during a tense 16-hour hostage situation in Mamelodi East, Tshwane
- The 18-year-old Hoërskool Silverton learner has been described as a natural-born leader who was always smiling
- Police have since opened an inquest into the tragedy, which left Keitumetse and Constable Thapelo Mashego dead
- Shazel Dubree-Peerbay, Specialist Wellness Counsellor at Dubree's Counselling Inc, chatted to Briefly News about the tragedy
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
Source: Facebook
Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.
GAUTENG - Keitumetse Mashego will be remembered for his smile, his compassion for others, and his leadership capabilities.
The 18-year-old was tragically killed during a 16-hour hostage drama in Mamelodi East, Tshwane, on Tuesday, 9 September 2025. Keitumetse and his grandmother were taken hostage by his uncle, Constable Thapelo Mashego. Tragically, Mashego took his own life before law enforcement officers could intervene.
Keitumetse remembered as a natural-born leader
On Wednesday, 10 September 2025, the day news broke that Keitumetse had passed on, Hoërskool Silverton paid tribute to their much-loved learner. Principal Mathibedi-wa-Medupe described Keitumetse as a vibrant, outspoken young leader who was actively involved in school activities and extramural programmes. He added that Keitumetse also cared about the development of the school and the growth of others.
Keitumetse was a prefect who served as Deputy Head of Learner Welfare at the school, and staff members described him as a natural-born leader.
“His infectious smile and optimism made him impossible to ignore,” staff said.
Keitumetse also volunteered at non-governmental organisation
It wasn’t just the school that remembered and respected Keitumetse, the non-governmental organisation (NGO) where he volunteered as a Marketing and Communications officer, also paid touching tribute to him.
Neo Cholo, Chairperson of Teens With Vision, described the 18-year-old as humble and respectful, always making his presence felt.
"We are going to remember him by his smile. He smiles with everything that we do," Cholo said
Keitumetse's great uncle, Steve Mphela, also spoke of his smile, telling News24 how intelligent Keitumetse was.
"Keitumetse was just like his name, ever smiling. We hoped that one of the good days, he would lift the Mashegos to the top because he was very intelligent,” he stated.
Source: Facebook
Inquest opened into Tshwane tragedy
Police have registered a case of murder and kidnapping, as well as an inquest into the matter, as investigations continue as to what exactly happened.
Police have yet to confirm when Keitumetse was killed during the 16-hour standoff, as his body was found when Special Task Force (STF) members were able to access the house just before midnight.
Neighbours who spoke to News24 said they heard gunshots around 8 am on the day of the hostage drama. One passerby reportedly said he saw a body inside the house, lying in a pool of blood, when the first shots were fired.
Specialist Wellness Counsellor weighs in on Mamelodi tragedy
Speaking to Briefly News about the tragedy, Shazel Dubree-Peerbay, Specialist Wellness Counsellor at Dubree's Counselling Inc, said that families and friends who lose a loved one to murder or suicide often face a more complex and painful form of grief.
“While grief is deeply personal, there is no right or wrong way to experience it. These types of losses can bring additional layers of emotional trauma that make the healing process even more difficult,” she said.
She added that many may struggle with intense feelings of guilt, wondering if they could have done something to prevent the tragedy. Others may feel isolated or judged by society due to the stigma often associated with suicide or violent death.
“In some cases, individuals may experience symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), constantly reliving the traumatic circumstances surrounding the loss and find it hard to integrate back into society in constant fear of the event repeating itself, which reduces the quality of life in many ways.
Family secrets reportedly behind hostage drama
Briefly News reported that the hostage situation in Mamelodi East, Tshwane, was sparked by family secrets and claims of infidelity.
A family member revealed that the officer, who held his mother and nephew hostage, discovered that a child he thought was his belonged to a relative.
South Africans mourned the death and lamented the damaging consequences of infidelity in relationships.
EFF criticises the USA’s gun culture after Charlie Kirk’s murder
Meanwhile, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has weighed in on the rising gun violence in the United States of America, but some South Africans are questioning why the party doesn’t focus on local issues first.
The Red Berets shared a statement on X (formerly Twitter) about the escalating cases of gun violence in the country in the wake of the murder of Charlie Kirk. The 31-year-old American right-wing political activist was shot dead while speaking at a university in Utah.
In the statement on Thursday, 11 September 2025, the party noted with concern the cases of violence involving guns in the US, stating that Kirk was a strong advocate for unrestricted access to firearms.
“It is not lost on us that the very same man who argued that lives lost are a price worth paying for gun rights has himself become a casualty of the very system he championed,” the statement read.
Source: Briefly News
