By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has decided not to proceed with the prosecution of a 58-year-old man, accused of a deadly road rage in Emmarentia in Johannesburg, citing lack of evidence.
The incident occurred on Sunday, 19 April 2026, following an altercation between two drivers.
Gauteng police spokesperson Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said, Faisal ul Rehman, was killed after a minor fender-bender on Barry Hertzog Avenue turned into a shooting.
“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.
The accused, who was due to appear before the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 21 April 2026, did not appear after the NPA decided not to proceed with prosecution.
His legal team had submitted representations to the state arguing that their client acted in self-defence.
NPA spokesperson, Magaboke Mohlatlole, says the decision follows a review of the available evidence, with prosecutors indicating that the matter may still be reinstated.
“After careful consideration of the evidence, the NPA has decided not to proceed with prosecution at this stage pending further investigations. The matter may be reinstated once investigators are satisfied that there is enough evidence to proceed.”
Research suggested individuals with high levels of impulsivity, aggression, and hostility tended to report higher instances of road rage behaviours. Awareness, understanding, and appropriate responses to these behaviours are crucial in creating a safer road environment for all users.
Road rage is rarely about the other vehicle. The CEO of MasterDrive, Eugene Herbert, expands: “Instead, the vehicle ahead represents emotional and cognitive overload. Congestion, deteriorating infrastructure, and the daily accumulation of stress create highly-strung drivers. By the time a minor bumper-bashing occurs, many drivers are already at capacity.
The collision is perceived as disrespect, and when combined with a refusal to back down it triggers an aggressive response. The Emmarentia incident is testament to this exact dynamic: a minor collision quickly escalated with consequences that irreversibly changed lives.”
A preventative cognitive spiral precedes the first punch. “Driver training should include understanding emotional regulation as well. An essential part of road safety is recognising mental overload and how to disengage before perceived disrespect spirals out of control.
“When a driver perceives a threat or insult, the part of the brain that controls emotions fires before rationality can intervene. Drivers do not make a decision in that moment but are reacting. The goal of psychological driver education is to close that gap,” says Herbert.
- Awareness: drivers who identify their own emotional state before they reach the road are significantly better equipped to resist provocation. Do a simple pre-drive reset where you acknowledge your emotions and consciously choose to leave it outside the vehicle.
- Reframing: road rage is often fuelled by the assumption that another driver’s behaviour was directed at you specifically. Yet normally, they have already forgotten about you. Change the story you tell yourself to change the outcome.
- Breath: slow, deliberate breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, counteracting the stress response. Loosen your grip on the steering wheel, relax your jaw and shoulders, and reduce your speed. These become physiological anchors that help deescalate the situation.
- Space: increase following distances. It is the single most effective physical action to deescalate because it removes you from the situation before it compounds.
Unverifiable statistics
Circulation of unverifiable figures compound the problem. “Some reports claim more than 1 000 people died in road rage incidents in South Africa in 2026, with no source cited. Another references over 1 200 deaths, likely drawn from a statistic recording 1 272 attempted murders associated with ‘road rage, arguments, or provocation.’ This is a broad category not isolated to road rage only.
Irresponsible statistic use causes harm. When motorists absorb inflated fear-based data, it worsens the emotional and cognitive overload already being carried, making ignoring the situation that much more difficult,” says Herbert.
Emmarentia should serve as an inflection point: a moment for South Africa to acknowledge that driver training should embrace a holistic approach to road safety where emotional regulation is treated as seriously as any technical skill.