South Africa: Former JMPD Chief David Tembe Found Dead At Home

Former Johannesburg police chief David Tembe is found dead in his Bramley home after his family raised concerns when he did not answer calls.

The City's public safety department says a post-mortem will determine what caused Tembe's death after emergency workers declared him dead at the scene.

Former Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department chief David Tembe has died at his home in Bramley, leaving his family, colleagues and the city in shock. Tembe, who served Johannesburg for more than forty years, was found dead on Monday after his daughter, Tokiso Molefe, and the woman who worked for him noticed something was wrong.

Tokiso said her father was discovered on Monday afternoon. She said he had collapsed just before reaching his bedroom. The domestic worker, Zodwa Maseko, became worried when she could not get into the house for work that morning. She said she phoned him several times but he did not answer. She then called the security guards, who broke open the door. They found Tembe lying on the stairs leading to his bedroom.

Zodwa, who worked for Tembe from Monday to Friday, said he recently told her he was not feeling well and planned to see a doctor. She believes he may not have made it to the appointment.

The City of Johannesburg's Department of Public Safety said emergency workers reached the house quickly but Tembe was already unresponsive. He was declared dead at the scene. A post-mortem will be carried out to find the cause of death.

Tembe was serving as a strategic adviser to the Member of the Mayoral Committee for Public Safety, Dr Mgcini Tshwaku. He held many roles in his long career. He started as a paramedic in 1981, later rose to lead the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department in 2017 and served as the Member of the Mayoral Committee for Public Safety between 2021 and 2023. The City said he was respected for his focus on community safety and his drive to make Johannesburg safer.

Tshwaku and the whole Public Safety team sent their condolences to Tembe's family, friends and colleagues. They said the City has lost a man who worked for safer streets and supported officers throughout his career.

Funeral and memorial details will be shared once confirmed.

Read the original article on Scrolla.