New details have emerged about the vehicle used by controversial businessman Brown Mogotsi during what he claims was an attempted assassination in Vosloorus, on Gauteng’s East Rand. Police have since revealed that the red Chevrolet sedan he was driving was unroadworthy, with several major defects discovered at the scene.
According to Mogotsi, the incident unfolded on Monday night, when he came under fire from unknown assailants travelling in a white bakkie. He told authorities that he was driving along a main road in Vosloorus when the attackers opened fire on his car, forcing him to swerve and take cover. The alleged gunmen then sped away, leaving him shaken but unharmed.
The red Chevrolet that Mogotsi was driving is now impounded at the Vosloorus Police Station, where ballistics experts have been working to collect and analyse evidence. The car has become central to the police investigation, both as a piece of potential evidence and as an indication of the businessman’s circumstances at the time of the alleged shooting.
When police inspected the vehicle, they found several irregularities. The car did not have a valid licence disc, suggesting it was not legally roadworthy. Furthermore, all four tyres were dangerously worn, with the treads almost completely faded. According to one source close to the investigation, the condition of the tyres posed a significant safety risk and could have contributed to the danger Mogotsi faced during the incident.
Police officers and forensic teams were seen marking the vehicle for evidence late into the evening, as they searched for bullet holes, cartridge casings, and other trace material that could help reconstruct what happened. By Tuesday morning, investigators had reportedly recovered eleven cartridges from the scene, believed to have been fired by the attackers. The exact calibre of the ammunition has not yet been disclosed.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed that law enforcement officials are treating the matter as a serious criminal case. However, she also noted that Mogotsi refused to open a case himself, despite claiming to have been the intended target. As a result, police have taken the initiative to open an attempted murder case and proceed with the investigation independently.
“The police have registered an attempted murder case after the complainant declined to do so. The vehicle involved is being analysed by our forensic and ballistics teams to establish the facts,” Mathe said in a statement.
The refusal to open a case has raised questions about Mogotsi’s reasons and what might have motivated his hesitation. Some observers have speculated that the businessman may be wary of police involvement due to his controversial reputation. Mogotsi has been linked to several disputes in recent years, involving both business dealings and personal conflicts, though no formal charges have been confirmed.
The incident has also drawn attention to the issue of vehicle roadworthiness and compliance with traffic laws. The fact that a high-profile businessman was driving a car without a licence disc and with dangerously worn tyres has sparked criticism on social media, with some users questioning why the vehicle was on the road at all.
For now, police say they are focusing on the forensic evidence and witness statements to piece together the sequence of events. Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage from nearby businesses and traffic cameras that may have captured the white bakkie or the moments leading up to the shooting.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward. “We appeal to members of the public who may have witnessed the shooting or who have information that can assist the investigation to contact Crime Stop or their nearest police station,” Mathe said.
As the investigation continues, many questions remain unanswered — including the motive behind the alleged attack, the identities of the shooters, and the reason Mogotsi refused to open a case. What is clear, however, is that both the incident and the condition of the vehicle have placed the businessman under renewed public scrutiny.
