Crime

Double Shooting of Ethiopian Shopkeepers in Johannesburg CBD Captured on CCTV

PrimeTime News Desk Published 3 May 2026

3 min read

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Video footage circulating on social media shows two Ethiopian nationals who operated a spaza shop in the Johannesburg Central Business District being shot dead. The clip was shared publicly on May 2, 2026, by anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee.

The CCTV recording, captured from a high-angle shop camera, depicts the interior of a convenience store with stocked shelves, refrigerators, and a glass-top freezer. Two men identified in reports as Ethiopian shopkeepers are seen on the floor in submissive positions—one kneeling with hands clasped and the other prone near a red crate and freezer—prior to being shot. An armed individual enters, and shots are fired. A second person in a light-colored shirt is also visible moving in the shop during the incident. The video is graphic.

The exact date and specific address of this shooting have not been officially confirmed by authorities in available reports. It surfaced publicly around May 2, 2026, amid a series of violent incidents targeting Ethiopian nationals in the Johannesburg CBD during late April 2026.

This incident forms part of multiple reported killings of Ethiopian nationals operating businesses in the area. On or around April 26, 2026, an Ethiopian national was shot dead at Jeppe and Von Wielligh Streets in the JHB CBD.

On April 27, 2026, three Ethiopian nationals were fatally shot while seated inside a McDonald’s restaurant at the corner of Rahima Moosa and Smal Streets. Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department MMC Moshe Koma condemned the attack, and an active manhunt was launched.

Reports indicate at least five Ethiopian nationals were shot dead in suspected targeted attacks in the Johannesburg CBD in late April 2026.

South African Police Service investigations are ongoing. Experts and authorities have linked these incidents to organised crime, business rivalries, extortion, or possible hit-style attacks rather than spontaneous street protests or mob violence. Ethiopian business owners in the CBD have expressed concerns about being targeted.

No arrests have been publicly confirmed in direct connection to the specific double shooting shown in the widely circulated video as of the latest available information. SAPS has not released detailed official statements on this exact CCTV incident in the searched public records.

The Johannesburg CBD has seen heightened concerns over crime, including shootings of shop owners and businesspeople. Ward councillors have highlighted weekly killings in the area. Ethiopian community members and the Ethiopian Embassy in South Africa have called for urgent government intervention and enhanced security.

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This article is based solely on verified reports, public posts, news coverage, and descriptions of the circulating footage from late April to early May 2026. Investigations continue, and official details may be updated by SAPS as more information emerges.