South African radio presenter Joshua Mbatha has been killed during a robbery in the Alexandra township in Johannesburg, on July 14. He was 32.

Mbatha, 32, was the music manager at Alex FM. He was shot dead along with his colleagues, Sammy Ramodike and Matome Mookanedi, who were also robbed during the incident but did not sustain any physical injuries.

“It’s with great pain to inform you of the sad news of the passing on of our staff member Joshua Mbatha,” Alex FM chairperson Isaac Mangena said.

He said DJ Josh, as he was affectionately known, was on his way home from the station, with his two colleagues, when they were stopped by about three gunmen.

“The assailants took their phones and shoes before shooting Joshua in the chest. We are with his father and other family members now at the clinic. The station manager is also with his team, comforting each other. Let’s keep the family and Josh’s colleagues in our prayers. May his soul rest in peace,” he added.

Speaking to local media, Gauteng Premier David Makhura said: “We are deeply disturbed and troubled by the increasing number of senseless killings of innocent residents. Criminals cannot hold our people to ransom in this manner. Violence and violent crime have no place in our society. We call on all law enforcement agencies to be hands on deck in finding the perpetrators of these senseless killings [and] on communities to assist the police in their investigations.”

The incident is linked to a series of shootings that have taken the lives of at least five people in 24 hours in the township, according to local media.

“Just found out one of my boys was shot last night in Alex,” amapiano artist Nkanyezi Kubheka wrote on social media. “Rest in peace Joshua ‘DJ Josh’ Mbatha. Condolences to [the] Mbatha family.”

Mbatha was born in 1990 in Johannesburg and joined radio in 2016. He graduated from Boston Media House with a diploma in music production.