SENIOR Nelson Mandela Bay traffic officer Owen Camagu died in a hail of bullets as he was about to enter his KwaDwesi home early yesterday morning in what detectives suspect was a hit-style assassination.
The attack, which has so far seen no arrests, mimics the one which saw the 42-year-old senior superintendent’s colleague in the metro’s safety and security directorate, Mafu Puzi, shot and killed in front of his New Brighton home a month ago.
Police are now investigating the existence of a hit list in the wake of a large-scale investigation by the Hawks into corruption within the Bay’s traffic department.
"They also shot at him [Puzi] five times while he was walking to the front door of his house. Like Camagu’s murder, nothing was stolen. We are hoping to establish if the two murders are linked,” said one detective, who asked not to be named.
Motherwell cluster commander Major-General Johan Kapp said last night he had tasked crime intelligence to make the investigation of the two murders a priority and also to establish whether there was a hit list out on directorate officials.
According to detectives on the scene, Camagu was attacked by a gunman after arriving home from working at Saturday’s rugby at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
"It appears that he had parked his car in the road and walked around the corner to the front door when an unknown number of gunmen ambushed him,” said a detective.
Officials said that five shots were fired, with one striking him in his arm and another in the chest.
Neighbours heard the gunshots and alerted Camagu’s wife, who was out of town, as well as the police.
"They then found him lying on the grass at the front of his door. The ambulance then rushed him off to Greenacres Hospital but he died in transit,” an officer said.
Camagu’s two children were also not home at the time of the attack.
Politicians yesterday mourned Camagu’s death.
Officials close to mayor Zanoxolo Wayile said he was inconsolable upon hearing the news of Camagu’s murder.
Wayile visited Camagu's grieving wife, Khosi, 38, yesterday afternoon. Khosi remained visibly shocked yesterday as friends and family arrived at her home to comfort her.
"I am shocked. We were married for more than 20 years and he really loved his job,” she said. "He had no threats made against him that I know of.”
Several police and metro officials said Camagu was known to be a firm campaigner against corruption in the traffic department.
