A popular Komani businessman was shot outside his mechanical repair shop by a brazen shooter who reportedly wanted to rob him on Wednesday morning.
Superbrake owner Johnny Bowes is in hospital and being treated for bullet wounds in his face and arm.
The shooting, close to the town's central business district, created chaotic scenes and a traffic jam as neighbouring business people and passers-by looked on in shock.
Emergency vehicles rushed to the scene.
The Dispatch reliably learnt that a suspect had been arrested by the police but this could not be confirmed by police spokesperson Brig Tembinkosi Kinana.
A shocked Komani Border-Kei Chamber of Business chair Mark Wilson said: “I do not have the details. It is so unfortunate for the business sector. It is frightening and we strongly condemn it. It is shocking that people are so brazen and can shoot a businessman in broad daylight.
“The shooting is not a common occurrence but it is frightening that we had such an incident in our town. This is not like the taxi industry shootings that everyone knows about. In those cases there are usually disputes, but this is different. It created a sense of fear among other business people and if you say someone was arrested then we are happy with that.”
A source who asked to not be named said Bowes was in his car when he was shot.
“It was like an armed robbery but he did not have any cash on him. They managed to get the guy and he was disarmed of his 9mm,” the source said.
DispatchLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.