A dispute over water between co-residents in Sundra, Mpumalanga, turned deadly after a 33-year-old man was fatally shot on Sunday.
Mpumalanga police arrested an elderly man, 71, in Eloff near Delmas for murder after an argument over water access in the afternoon.
The South African Police Service (Saps) said the incident happened around 5pm between the deceased and the suspect, who live at the same address.
Dispute over access to Jojo tank ends in shooting
The suspect is the landlord and the victim was a tenant.
The Victor Khanye local municipality has experienced water shortages because Rand Water has provided limited supply since 2024 due to the municipality’s massive debt.
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The municipality experiences low water pressure and intermittent supply in certain areas like Delmas, Sundra, Eloff and Rietkol.
Last year, Rand Water said Victor Khanye is an overconsumer and called for the municipality to reduce its consumption.
Due to the ongoing water shortages, the suspect had installed a Jojo tank in the garage to be used when municipal water was unavailable. The suspect placed the tank on his side of the premises.
Landlord shot tenant at close range
“It is alleged that the deceased attempted to enter the garage to switch on the pressure pump to get water. The suspect reportedly refused him entry,” police said.
“The deceased then allegedly forced his way to the tap, at which point the suspect shot him at close range, striking him in the left eye.”
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Saps said the victim’s wife tried to enter the area where her husband had been shot, but the suspect threatened her.
He allegedly warned the wife that he’d shoot her too, so she fled back to her side of the property.
Community members threated to kill suspect
“More than 100 community members gathered at the scene and became extremely agitated following the incident. They threatened to kill the suspect and burn down the house,” the police said.
The police arrested the suspect immediately for murder. He is expected to appear in the Delmas Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
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