Johannesburg – Two people, one of them thought to be an attorney, have been shot dead near the Booysens Magistrate’s Court, a brazen act that has rocked the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.
Commenting on the deadly attack in which several other people were shot, the department said it “has learnt with serious concern of a shooting incident at the Booysens Magistrate’s Court today, Tuesday, 20 January 2026”.
The shooting reportedly occurred at about 10h00.
Suspicions were that an attorney and witnesses were the brazen targets.
The department said the crime was still active, and law enforcement agencies were attending to the situation.
“At this stage, it has been reported that five people were shot, with two fatalities,” the department said.
Deputy Minister Andries Nel was heading to the scene to assess the situation, while the department was awaiting further verified details from law enforcement agencies and court management.
In a terse statement made available to The Bulrushes, the department said it “condemns this incident and will work with the relevant security and law enforcement authorities to ensure that all necessary measures are implemented to safeguard court users and personnel”.
