Emmarentia Road Rage Shooting: Family Mourns “Very Good Man” As Suspect Appears In Court

For more than a day after a violent road rage incident in Emmarentia, Johannesburg, Tehseen Zahara Faisal remained unaware that her husband had died.

Hospitalised with gunshot wounds to her hand and shoulder following Sunday’s shooting, she was kept in the dark about the fate of 48-year-old Faisal Ul Rehman as relatives struggled with how to break the news.

Her family delayed telling her as long as possible, but by Monday morning, the decision could no longer wait. As his wife, she alone had the authority to decide whether his body would be buried in South Africa or returned to Pakistan.

“So we sat her down and told her the truth,” said Muhammad Wasi Haider, Rehman’s nephew. “She did not take it well.”

Emmarentia Road Rage Incident Turns Deadly After Minor Collision

According to Gauteng police spokesperson Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, the shooting followed what began as a minor collision on Barry Hertzog Avenue.

“It is alleged that a female passenger, suspected to be the wife of one of the drivers, went to get a firearm from the car, and the second driver also pulled out his firearm, resulting in a shooting which claimed the life of the husband, leaving the other driver and the female passenger injured,” Nevhuhulwi said.

Police have opened cases of murder and attempted murder.

“The public, especially drivers, is urged to always abide by traffic rules and exercise patience while using public roads to avoid road rage situations,” she added.

A 58-year-old man was arrested at the scene and is expected to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court.

Viral Video Shows Harrowing Aftermath With Children At Scene

Footage circulating widely on social media shows the immediate aftermath of the shooting, capturing the distress of the victim’s young children.

In the video, Rehman’s daughter is seen crying beside her father’s body, while her younger brother attempts CPR, his hands visibly covered in blood. Nearby, their mother sits wounded on the ground.

Haider, who identified his uncle’s body at the mortuary, described the emotional toll.

“I consider myself a very smart person, but my brain is not working,” he said. “I went to his house and I couldn’t. I just couldn’t… it was all just too much.

“We’re still all in very bad shock. I saw the children yesterday. They’re feeling a bit better, but it is still very difficult.”

Family To Repatriate Body To Pakistan As Financial Impact Widens

Rehman, born in August 1977, worked as a car dealer in Pretoria, rebuilding and selling vehicles. According to his nephew, he owned a licensed firearm due to the nature of his business but had no criminal record.

“You can search his ID,” Haider said. “He never had a criminal record. He just had it [the firearm] for safety reasons because of the business that we do.”

Beyond the immediate loss, the family says his death has far-reaching consequences. Rehman was reportedly the sole provider for more than 15 households in Pakistan, regularly sending financial support.

“He looked after orphan children and he gave to charity,” Haider said. “His death didn’t just cause death to his own household. With his death, a lot of people’s income has stopped. He was a very, very, very good man.”

The family has decided to repatriate his body to Pakistan for burial.

Calls For Justice As Family Focuses On Funeral And Recovery

While relatives care for the couple’s two children, attention is divided between funeral arrangements and the legal case.

Haider rejected claims that the shooting could be justified as self-defence.

“Faisal did not point the firearm at him and start shooting,” he said. “That person could have avoided killing Faisal.

“He could have shot him anywhere else to disarm him. But he shot to kill him, which is not self-defence. That’s culpable homicide. I definitely want justice to prevail … I’m going to pursue this to the fullest of my capacity.”

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For now, he said the priority remains immediate family needs. “My first concern now is get the funeral done, get Faisal buried as soon as possible,” he said. “After that, focus on my auntie’s health and focus on this case.”

He paused before reflecting on his uncle’s life. “He was a good worker, a good father, a good friend, and a good brother. That’s all I can tell you.”