Feroz Khan uncle shot dead on the R21, and the timing has Mzansi talking

Former Crime Intelligence deputy head Feroz Khan’s uncle-in-law has been named as the man shot dead on the R21 in Ekurhuleni on Monday night.

It started with a car breakdown.

A friend came to help. Then the shots rang out.

But it’s the timing that has South Africans talking.

The killing happened just hours before one of the country’s most controversial former police generals was due to testify.

The man has been identified in media reports as Preggy Padayachee.

He was the uncle-in-law of Khan, the dismissed deputy head of South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Intelligence.

The shooting happened on Monday, 5 October, on the R21 near Griffiths Road, in the direction of OR Tambo International Airport.

Police have not officially confirmed his identity or his link to Khan.

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE R21

Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said a driver in a Fiat broke down and called a friend for help, according to TimesLIVE.

The friend arrived with two other people.

While they were attending to the car, shots were fired at them.

The driver tried to escape the gunfire but lost control, and the car crashed into a barrier.

He was declared dead at the scene.

One passenger was shot and taken to hospital, while a third person escaped unharmed.

Police have opened a case of murder and attempted murder.

The motive is unknown, and no arrests have been made.

According to SABC News, forensic teams combed the scene for much of the night.

The shooting is believed to have been a targeted hit.

Police say investigations are ongoing to establish what happened and to identify those responsible.

WHO IS FEROZ KHAN?

Khan is one of the most talked-about figures at the Madlanga Commission.

The inquiry was set up after Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi alleged that organised crime groups had infiltrated government.

The commission has heard allegations linking Khan to procurement irregularities, suspected bribery, interference in sensitive police operations and the leaking of confidential information.

Khan has not been found guilty of any of these allegations.

He also faces a separate criminal case.

In May, Khan was arrested and released on R20,000 bail alongside Gauteng Hawks head Major-General Ebrahim Kadwa.

The charges relate to alleged illegal dealing in, and unlawful possession of, precious metals.

Then, on 28 June, Khan himself was shot in Houghton, days before he was due to testify. He survived.

WHO WAS PREGGY PADAYACHEE?

Padayachee became a familiar face after that June shooting.

He spoke publicly on behalf of the family.

Outside Milpark Hospital, he told EWN that the people responsible for shooting his nephew “must pay.”

He also responded publicly when Khan was arrested.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT THE FEROZ KHAN UNCLE SHOOTING

The timing has fuelled speculation.

Khan was finally due to testify behind closed doors at the commission on Tuesday, 6 October.

But police have not indicated that his appearance is linked to the shooting.

Whether it’s connected to the earlier attack on Khan has also not been established.

Online, the reaction was swift.

A breaking news post about the shooting by journalist Pule Letshwiti-Jones drew nearly 300,000 views within 10 hours.

Many South Africans questioned the timing, with some calling for Khan’s testimony to be made public.

Khan may return for further testimony when the commission resumes public hearings next month.

Police have not linked the killing to the Madlanga Commission, and the motive remains unknown.

Investigations are continuing.

DO YOU THINK PEOPLE CONNECTED TO THE MADLANGA COMMISSION ARE SAFE ENOUGH?