ANC Councillor Shot Dead at Community Meeting in Nyanga: Tributes Pour In
- A 48-year-old ANC councillor was shot dead at a community meeting in Nyanga on Tuesday, 3 February 2026
- The victim's body was found lying near the entrance of the Old Crossroads Community Hall in Gwayi Street
- Tributes poured in for the councillor, with local leaders condemning the brutal act and extending condolences
- The South African Police Service in the Western Cape confirmed the incident to Briefly News
Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.
Source: Twitter
WESTERN CAPE, NYANGA - A 48-year-old man was shot dead during a community meeting at the Old Crossroads Community Hall in Gwayi Street, Nyanga, on Tuesday, 3 February 2026.
ANC councillor shot and killed
Western Cape police spokesperson Captain F.C Van Wyk told Briefly News that Nyanga SAPS officers responded to the shooting at about 15:00 and found the victim’s body lying near the entrance of the hall. Police said the shooting occurred after the meeting ended, when the victim was discussing certain issues with community members.
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According to reports, two men entered the hall, approached the victim, and shot him. Police later identified the deceased as Lazola Gungxe, an African National Congress councillor serving in the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality.
"The unknown suspects fled the scene in a white Toyota Avanza with no registration numbers. Nothing was taken from the deceased. Nyanga police registered a murder case for investigation, and the motive for the attack is yet to be determined." Van Wyk said.
Gungxe served as PR councillor in City of Cape Town
According to the Daily Maverick, Gungxe served as a proportional-representation councillor in the City of Cape Town and was first sworn in on 10 August 2016. He was a member of the ANC caucus on the council. As a proportional representative, he held his seat through the party list rather than direct election in a ward.
He was assigned to Subcouncil 13, which includes eight wards covering Philippi, Crossroads, Nyanga, Gugulethu, and surrounding areas. During his tenure, Gungxe participated in local governance, ANC activities, and public debates on municipal issues.
Source: Getty Images
Tributes pour in for ANC councillor
The ANC’s Cape Town caucus said it was deeply saddened and shocked by the death of Gungxe. The caucus said his loss was felt across the organisation. It described Gungxe not only as a colleague but also as a comrade and a friend.
GOOD City of Cape Town councillor Jonathan Cupido described the killing as a brutal and senseless act that had shaken both the community Gungxe served and the local government.
South African Communist Party provincial secretary and ANC spokesperson for police oversight and community safety in the Western Cape Legislature, Benson Ngqentsu, also conveyed his condolences. He said he extended sympathies to the Gungxe family, the ANC and alliance structures, and the communities Gungxe served as an ANC proportional-representation councillor.
Police launch manhunt after three men shot dead
Briefly News previously reported that three men were gunned down in a shooting in the Gordon's Bay area of the Western Cape on 27 January 2026.
Members of the South African Police Service in the Western Cape are searching for the unidentified gunmen.
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Source: Briefly News
