S uspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) acting chief Julius Mkhwanazi told Parliament on Thursday, 22 January 2026, that the deadly shooting outside the Booysens Magistrate’s Court had shaken his family and left him fearing for his life, after it emerged that his attorney was among the victims.

Mkhwanazi appeared before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee, where he confirmed that his lawyer—who had been assisting him at the Madlanga Commission and in other legal matters—was shot while leaving court the previous day. The shooting claimed the lives of two people and left three others injured.

“My family, my kids — this thing has disturbed them,” Mkhwanazi told the committee. “My attorney, who was assisting me with the Madlanga Commission and other matters, was shot the day before while leaving court. I can’t even move out of the house. I’m being seen as the killer police.”

The shooting occurred outside the Booysens Court in Johannesburg, where three gunmen wearing caps opened fire on a group of people exiting the building. Police confirmed that two people died at the scene, while three others were wounded, including Mkhwanazi’s attorney, who was hospitalised. Authorities launched an investigation, although the motive remained unclear.

Unconfirmed reports suggested the attorney may have been targeted following a consultation involving an alleged gangster earlier that day.

The incident unfolded against heightened tensions following the killing of Marius van der Merwe, also known as “Witness D,” who was shot dead on 5 December 2025. Van der Merwe had testified before the Madlanga Commission, alleging that senior EMPD officials instructed him to dispose of a murder victim’s body. He was reportedly preparing to expose alleged state involvement in illegal mining activities shortly before his death.

Mkhwanazi denied knowing Van der Merwe. “I do not know Witness D, and he does not know me,” he said, while confirming that he had visited the crime scene on the morning of Van der Merwe’s killing. He denied any wrongdoing.

He also rejected allegations that he had fitted blue emergency lights to vehicles linked to businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, who is reportedly under investigation. Mkhwanazi admitted receiving R20,000 for petrol and donated vehicles for official EMPD use but denied corruption, private misuse of emergency equipment, or involvement in violence.

Tensions escalated during the hearing between Mkhwanazi and DA MP Ian Cameron over viral videos allegedly showing blue-light usage on private vehicles. Mkhwanazi dismissed the footage as manipulated and accused Cameron of not taking him seriously.

He further claimed that EMPD Colonel Kelebogile Thepa’s testimony before the Madlanga Commission was “all lies.”

The Booysens court shooting has renewed concerns about the safety of legal practitioners and witnesses involved in sensitive criminal investigations, as parliamentary scrutiny into alleged misconduct within Ekurhuleni policing continued.