A 29-year-old Zimbabwean man, Emmanuel Mahamba, has died in a brutal incident in Rivonia, Johannesburg, after allegedly being run over multiple times by his girlfriend’s ex-partner. South African police have confirmed they are investigating the case as a murder linked to a heated romantic conflict.
The tragedy unfolded around 4 p.m. on Saturday along 12th Avenue, shocking bystanders and the broader community. Mahamba, originally from Mvuma, Zimbabwe, was reportedly caught in a love triangle involving a woman named Ntombizodwa and her former partner, a Ugandan national who is also the father of her child.
According to witnesses, the suspect intentionally struck Mahamba with a Ford Ranger, reversing and running over him multiple times in front of horrified onlookers.
Sources close to the matter allege that while Mahamba—himself a married man with a child—had been romantically involved with Ntombizodwa, she ended the relationship after her ex discovered the affair. Tensions between the two men are believed to have escalated in the lead-up to the fatal encounter.
Eyewitness Sarah Britten, a communications expert, described the harrowing moment to The Citizen. “I was stopping at a red light when I saw the vehicle run over a man. It bounced over him with both sets of tyres, then sped off across Rivonia Road,” she recalled.
Shaken, Britten jumped out of her car to offer help. “I asked if anyone had called the police. My hands were trembling—I called my husband, who contacted Netcare 911. Emmanuel was still conscious. I reassured him an ambulance was coming,” she said. Paramedics soon arrived and attempted CPR, but he succumbed to his injuries.
The shocking incident has gone viral on social media, triggering outrage and renewed concern over the deadly consequences of unresolved romantic disputes.
Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed a murder case has been opened. “No arrests have been made yet. Investigations are ongoing, and we urge anyone with information to come forward,” she said.
