A South African municipal official in charge of enforcing bylaws has opened fire on another man, killing him.

The municipal official shot dead a traffic law enforcement officer after finding the said man with his wife in a popular lodge in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, South Africa. 

Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison spokesperson Moeti Mmusi, who confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday, April 16, 2023, said the woman was not harmed. 

“It is reported that the deceased was in the company of the wife of the suspect (municipal police officer) at one of the chalets in the lodge when the incident occurred,” Mmusi said. 

Mmusi said the man who allegedly committed the murder was arrested and is set to appear in court soon.

Also confirming the incident on Sunday, the Hawks in Mpumalanga said the alleged killer is 38 years old, and works for the Mbombela Municipality as a by-law enforcement officer.

Hawks’ spokesperson in Mpumalanga, Captain Dineo Sekgotodi said the incident happened at Kwanyoni lodge in Nelspruit.

"It was reported that on Saturday, 15 April, 2023, a provincial traffic official and a lady friend booked in at Kwanyoni Lodge on the N4 about 15km out of Nelspruit. While they were in the chalet, the female’s husband emerged and kicked open the door. There was an altercation as a broken beer bottle was found,” Sekgotodi said.

"It is further alleged that the traffic official ran out of the chalet and the husband followed him as he fired shots. The victim was shot twice and succumbed to his injuries.

Sekgotodi said the crime scene was attended by the Hawks Nelspruit-based Serious Organised Crime Investigation, Nelspruit Vispol and Nelspruit Local Criminal Record Centre.

“The team took initiatives to phone the suspect (the husband) who handed himself over at SAPS Nelspruit. His official firearm which was used during the commission of crime was seized. He was charged with murder and detained pending his first court appearance soon,” she said.