Emmarentia Road Rage: Family of Man Who Shot Motorist Speaks Up, Defends Him

• The family of the man who was involved in a fatal road rage incident in Johannesburg has defended him
• The man was arrested after the incident took place in Emmarentia on 19 April 2026
• The family also conveyed their condolences to the family of Faisal ul Rehman, who was killed

Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ senior journalist, South Africa, covered a range of criminal activities, including cash-in-transit heists, kidnappings, taxi violence, shootings, police investigations, police shootouts, and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

JOHANNESBURG, GAUTENG– The family of the man who was arrested for shooting and killing Faisal ul Rehman during a road rage incident has defended him. The incident happened in Emmarentia, Johannesburg, on 19 April 2026, and Rehman's wife was shot and is recovering in hospital.

In a statement shared with IOL on 22 April, the family said that the man acted in self-defence to protect his and his wife's lives. The family said that it is not being insensitive to the loss of Rehman's life and extended prayers and thoughts to his family. However, they stood by their family member’s actions.

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What happened to Rehman?

Rehman was killed when he and the man engaged in a confrontation on Barry Hertzog Avenue after a minor collision. The altercation became fatal when the men exchanged blows. Rehman's wife returned to the vehicle to retrieve a firearm. The man, after seeing the weapon, opened fire and shot at Rehman and his wife three times.

Tehseen was shot twice and was rushed to the hospital, where she is recovering. The shooting happened in front of Rehman's two young children. The South African Police Service (SAPS) Gauteng spokesperson Colonel Dimalatso Nevhuluwi said both weapons were legally licensed.

The man appeared in court in Johannesburg on 21 April, two days after his arrest. His legal team argued that he shot Rehman in self-defence. The National Prosecuting Authority withdrew its case against him provisionally due to insufficient evidence, and he was released from custody.

Rehman's family opened up about the incident and were shattered by his death. His nephew, Muhammad Wasi Haider, went to the mortuary to identify him. He said that the family lost a provider who supported multiple families in South Africa and in his home country of Pakistan.

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Haider said that Faisal did not point his firearm at the other motorist and added that he could have avoided killing him. Mourners, family members, and community members gathered at the Wespark Cemetery on 21 April to offer prayers during a prayer service. His remains will be transported to Pakistan, where he will be buried.

What did South Africans say?

Netizens continued to debate about the video. Some accused Rehman’s wife of being the aggressor, while others accused the man of murder.

Netizens opposed to him

Benjamin Mokone Thibela said:

“We saw the video. He could’ve acted or responded better than that.”

Lerato asked:

“So was the real threat to him, the wife or husband? Because he shot them both.”

Pam Coetzee asked:

“If he didn’t have a gun, what would’ve happened?”

Those who supported the man

Alan de Villiers said:

“There is a better video that shows the deceased firing at the other driver first, who then responded in self-defence. The wife then picked up the gun and was also shot. It was totally self-defence.”

Noxolo Moyake said:

“I saw the video. They must charge the wife as soon as she is out of the hospital.”

Experts slam circulation of road rage video

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In a related article, Briefly News reported that a media expert and Childline weighed in on the Emmarentia road rage incident. They slammed members of the public for resharing the video.

William Bird, the director of Media Monitoring Africa, called on members of the public to refrain from sharing the video. Childline’s KwaZulu-Natal director Adeshini Naicker said the child has the right to privacy and dignity, and resharing the video could re-traumatise her and leave a lasting impact on her emotionally.

Source: Briefly News