Pathologists remove the body of a 35-year-old lawyer who was gunned down in central Johannesburg on Monday. (Photo: Everson Luhanga / Scrolla.Africa) A lawyer who worked for Sibanye-Stillwater’s legal team at its gold operations was shot dead on Monday in the Johannesburg CBD near the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) offices. The victim was working on a labour dispute on behalf of the company.
“She represented us in employee disputes, which often go to the CCMA. I know there was a dispute that she was busy dealing with, but I don’t have all of the details,” said Sibanye spokesperson James Wellsted.
Wellsted said he could not disclose the name of the victim because of company policy and out of respect for the grieving family.
“Police have launched an investigation following a fatal shooting incident at the corner of Fox and Joubert streets in the Johannesburg CBD on Monday, 23 March 2026. On arrival at the scene, the members found the body of a 35-year-old woman who had sustained gunshot wounds. She was declared dead at the scene,” said the South African Police Service.
“Preliminary reports indicate that the deceased was allegedly followed by two unknown suspects who opened fire on her before fleeing the scene on foot. The motive for the attack will form part of investigations. No arrests have been made at this stage.”
The murder had the hallmarks of a targeted hit, but a police spokesperson declined to comment on that. Wellsted said Sibanye would conduct its own investigation in addition to the police’s.
Public speculation about this murder will clearly focus on the labour dispute the victim was working on, but for now, it is just that: speculation.
This murder comes in the wake of the assassination of Johannesburg insolvency attorney Bouwer van Niekerk in September 2025, which underscored the rising toll among South African corruption busters, with lawyers in the firing line.
If the murder is indeed linked to a labour dispute, it would mark an ominous turn in labour relations at a time when one could argue they have never been better in South Africa’s mining industry, which has gone years without a prolonged strike.
For now, the motives behind this incident are unknown.
Following the murder, Judge Dario Dosio, who oversees security around the Johannesburg High Court precinct, released a memo calling for an urgent meeting with the SAPS and the Johannesburg Metro Police Department to “beef up security at all courts in Johannesburg”.
He asked whether Vumacam, which operates an extensive network of security cameras across the city and collaborates with law enforcement agencies, could confirm that cameras near the court were functioning.
Dosio also called on authorities to begin stop-and-search operations in the court precinct. He noted that posters in the court emphasised that it’s a gun-free zone, except for police officers. DM