The search for 25-year-old Polite Ngwenya, a missing person in Gauteng, has ended in tragedy. His family confirmed to Missing Person South Africa that he was found deceased at Hillbrow Mortuary in Gauteng after suffering a fatal gunshot wound.

Ngwenya disappeared on 22 July 2025 and was last seen leaving his home in the Msawawa Informal Settlement to walk to Shoprite in Cosmo City. He never returned. Family members and the community launched an urgent missing person appeal, sharing his details widely on social media in hopes of finding him alive.

“We found him in Hillbrow Mortuary. He’s deceased. He was shot in the head. They found him with a bullet wound. It seems like he was robbed,” a family spokesperson told Missing Person South Africa via direct message.

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A Life Cut Short by Hillbrow Crime

Ngwenya was unmarried, had no children, and was known for his quiet nature and friendly personality. His death has devastated the Msawawa community and added to growing concerns about violent crime in Hillbrow, an area long associated with high levels of robberies, shootings, and other criminal activity.

Police have yet to release a full statement, but initial information points to Ngwenya being a robbery victim. The Gauteng shooting is now under investigation as a murder case.

Community Outrage and Fear

Residents of Msawawa and surrounding areas have expressed outrage, demanding stronger policing in high-crime areas. Many say Ngwenya’s death is a painful reminder of the dangers faced by young men walking alone in unsafe parts of South Africa.

The case has also reignited conversations about the plight of missing persons in South Africa, where families often face weeks of uncertainty before learning the fate of their loved ones.

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Call for Justice in Gauteng Shooting

Ngwenya’s death now forms part of the grim statistics on Hillbrow crime. His family is urging anyone with information about the shooting to come forward, calling for justice for the young man whose life was brutally taken.

Those who knew him remember him as a humble and hardworking person who did not deserve such a violent end.

Anyone with information that could assist in the investigation is urged to contact the nearest police station or the Crime Stop hotline on 08600 10111.

This is a developing story. Follow Missing Person South Africa on Facebook for more updates on missing person cases, Hillbrow crime reports, and Gauteng shooting investigations.

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