Knysna Municipality, GRDM condems violence after Tsengwa killing

KNYSNA NEWS - With the 2026 IEC local government elections approaching, the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) has said it will not tolerate violence and has called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of former Knysna mayor and serving Ward 8 councillor Aubrey Ndoda Tsengwa (48).

Tsengwa was shot dead in Joodsekamp, Knysna, on Wednesday evening, 19 August. Detectives of the provincial Serious and Violent Crime Unit are investigating a case of murder and three counts of attempted murder following the shooting.

Tsengwa had also served as a member of the Garden Route District Municipality Council, having been inaugurated on 1 October 2018. He served on the District Council until his resignation on 18 January 2023.

In a statement, the GRDM said its council, management and staff extended their deepest condolences to Tsengwa’s family, friends and colleagues.

“We also extend our heartfelt condolences to Knysna Municipality’s leadership and employees, as well as to the people of Knysna, who have lost a dedicated public representative and community leader,” the municipality said.

His death, the GRDM said, was deeply felt across the Garden Route. “The GRDM condemns all forms of violence and supports a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident,” the statement read.

With the local government elections scheduled for 4 November 2026, the municipality called on political parties, public representatives, supporters and communities to uphold tolerance, respect and peaceful democratic engagement.

“May Cllr Tsengwa’s contribution to local government and the communities he served be remembered with dignity and respect,” the municipality said, wishing his family and loved ones strength, comfort and peace.

A life of public service
Knysna Municipality also paid tribute to Tsengwa, describing his death as a shock and a profound loss to the community. “We mourn the passing of Ward 8 councillor Aubrey Ndoda Tsengwa, a well-known and respected figure in the Knysna community,” said Mayor Thando Matika.

Tsengwa’s life, Matika said, was one of public service. “From his years as a traffic official to his time as executive mayor and, most recently, as a ward councillor, he dedicated himself to the people and community he served.”

Tsengwa held a Diploma in Traffic Management, a Certificate in Disaster Management and a Higher Certificate in Education.

Acting Municipal Manager Boy Ngubo highlighted Tsengwa’s commitment to education and his involvement in school and community structures, including serving as chairperson of the Thembelitsha Primary School Governing Body, deputy chairperson of the Sinethemba Community Crèche and a member of the Concordia High School Governing Body.

“A firm believer in the power of education, Cllr Tsengwa was passionate about uplifting the youth and ensuring they had access to quality education,” Ngubo said.

“For him, education was a fundamental building block to a better future, and he was dedicated to making it a priority in his service to the community.”

Matika also remembered Tsengwa as a loyal member of the ANC and a former committee member of the party’s Regional Executive Committee. “We will remember Aubrey for his leadership as executive mayor, for his determination as a fighter for equality, and for the strong arguments and convictions he brought to Council,” Matika said.

“He was never afraid to speak his mind or stand firmly for what he believed was right. Yet despite the strength of his political convictions, he understood the importance of democratic debate and maintained respect for those who stood on the opposite side of the political divide.”

Matika said Tsengwa’s contribution extended beyond party politics. “He gave of himself to his community, and his legacy will be measured in the lives he touched, the causes he championed, and the years he devoted to public service.”

Ngubo said Tsengwa had been robbed of the opportunity to complete his service as a councillor. “His life and his service should never have ended this way,” he said. “May his family find strength and comfort in the knowledge that his life had purpose, that his service mattered, and that his legacy will live on in the community he served.”

Anco Baker, who previously served on the Mayoral Committee for Finance at GRDM, paid tribute to Tsengwa in a heartfelt Facebook post, saying: “When I received the news last night, there were simply no words. Even now, writing this, I struggle to accept that you are gone.”

She further wrote, “And I don’t care who says what about this man. I knew Aubrey personally. I knew the human being behind the title, behind the politics and behind the public life.” And what I knew was a great, a great man.

“Aubrey, you worked for your communities, you cared about people, you carried yourself with a respect and a character that made you uniquely you. Even your way of doing things, your mannerisms, your conversations and the way you engaged with people made you special,” Baker concluded.

The Knysna Municipality urged residents to allow the South African Police Service to conduct its investigation and bring those responsible to justice. “Hamba kahle, Cllr Ndoda. May you rest in peace,” the municipality concluded.

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