Sizok’Thola filming turns fatal as Joburg MMC denies JMPD involvement

A Sunday afternoon meant for exposing drug dealing on television ended in gunfire, a body on the ground, and a growing political storm in Johannesburg.

The fatal shooting of a man during the filming of Sizok’Thola, Moja Love’s controversial anti-drug TV show, has sparked confusion, public outrage and sharp denials from the City of Johannesburg, particularly around who was actually involved when the shots were fired.

What happened in Linden

The incident took place in Windsor East, Linden, while an episode of Sizok’Thola was being filmed. The show is fronted by ActionSA councillor and Ekurhuleni mayoral candidate Xolani Khumalo, who has built a public profile as a hands-on anti-drug activist.

ActionSA confirmed that Khumalo was present when a Nigerian man, suspected of drug trafficking, was fatally shot by members of the show’s security team during what the party described as an anti-drug operation.

The shooting happened on Sunday and quickly drew a crowd, with tensions escalating in the area.

City distances itself from the operation

As reports circulated that Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) officers were part of the operation, Public Safety MMC Dr Mgcini Tshwaku moved swiftly to shut that down.

In a strongly worded response, Tshwaku said the reports were misleading and insisted that JMPD had no prior knowledge of the operation and did not participate in it.

According to the City of Johannesburg, JMPD officers only arrived later, after being called in by SAPS for backup when community members began protesting following the shooting.

The city emphasised that JMPD was not involved in the filming, the operation, or the shooting itself.

Police confirm murder investigation

Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko confirmed that a murder case has been opened and that investigations are under way.

She said preliminary information suggests a production company was filming in the area when shots were fired, allegedly by the production team’s security personnel. Public Order Police were deployed to restore calm as residents reacted to the incident.

Sibeko added that members of the production team later went to a police station once the situation escalated.

ActionSA stands firm behind Khumalo

Despite the fatal outcome, ActionSA has publicly backed Khumalo, framing his role on Sizok’Thola as part of a broader fight against drug trafficking in communities plagued by addiction and gang activity.

The party said it supports “decisive and lawful” action against drug syndicates, arguing that these networks have terrorised neighbourhoods through violence and intimidation for years.

On social media, reactions have been sharply divided. Some viewers and residents praise the show for confronting dealers directly in areas where communities feel abandoned by the justice system. Others question whether a TV production, no matter how well-intentioned, should be operating in spaces that blur the line between law enforcement, activism and entertainment.

Not Khumalo’s first brush with the law

This is not the first time Khumalo’s anti-drug crusade has landed him in legal trouble.

Last month, he handed himself over at the Katlehong police station following reports of his imminent arrest linked to an alleged assault during a drug-related incident last year. He was granted R2,000 bail after appearing in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court, with the case postponed to February for further investigation.

That history has added fuel to the debate around Sizok’Thola with critics questioning oversight and accountability, while supporters argue the show is filling a vacuum left by under-resourced policing.

Bigger questions for Joburg

Beyond the politics and the television cameras, the Linden shooting has raised uncomfortable questions for Johannesburg.

Who is responsible when civilians or private security conduct operations that look like law enforcement? Where does entertainment end and public safety begin? And how far should anti-crime activism go before it becomes dangerous?

As police investigate the murder, the answers to those questions may shape not only the future of Sizok’Thola, but how crime-fighting narratives are packaged and policed in South Africa’s cities.

{Source: IOL}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com