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Racing driver Robert Wolk shot dead in Kempton Park road-rage incident
South African motorsport is mourning the death of 41-year-old racing driver Robert Wolk, who was fatally shot during an alleged road-rage confrontation in Esther Park, Kempton Park, on Wednesday evening, 16 September 2026.
Wolk was shot at the intersection of Camwood Street and Portland Drive after an apparent minor collision involving his Audi and another vehicle. Police have opened a murder case and, as of Friday, no arrests had been made. The motive remains under investigation.
The circumstances surrounding his death have also drawn widespread public attention after video footage of the incident circulated on social media.
What happened in Kempton Park
According to police, Wolk was found with gunshot wounds after Sebenza police responded to the shooting. He was declared dead at the scene.
Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed that an Audi believed to belong to Wolk was found at the scene.
“He was declared dead at the scene. An Audi vehicle believed to belong to the victim was also found at the scene. No arrests have been made, and a murder case has been opened,” Nevhuhulwi said.
Witness accounts reported by several South African publications indicate that Wolk’s Audi had been involved in a low-speed collision with a Volkswagen Jetta. Wolk reportedly got out of his vehicle to assess the damage before an argument developed between the motorists.
Footage that has circulated online appears to show Wolk pleading with the other motorist before he was shot. The precise sequence of events and circumstances leading to the shooting remain part of the police investigation.
A career that began in karting
Wolk’s death has resonated particularly strongly within South African motorsport because he had spent almost three decades competing at national level.
According to Motorsport South Africa, his career began with karting and included South African Junior GP Karting Championship victories in 1995 and 1997.
He subsequently moved through single-seater racing, where he won multiple Formula Ford championships before capturing the South African Formula Volkswagen Championship in 2013 and the South African Formula 1600 Championship in 2015.
His achievements also earned him recognition beyond individual race victories. Wolk was awarded South African Junior Protea Colours in 1998 and Senior Protea Colours in 2022.
Back-to-back GTC championships
Wolk became particularly prominent in South African touring-car racing.
He won the South African Global Touring Car Championship in 2021 and successfully defended the title in 2022.
His 2022 championship came after a season that included a significant points dispute. A Motorsport South Africa Court of Appeal ruling restored points that had previously been deducted, before Wolk secured the championship by finishing third in the opening race of the final weekend.
At the time, Wolk credited his sponsors, team and family for their support.
His success continued into 2024 when he won the South African Touring Cars Championship.
He was still winning in 2026
Wolk’s racing career had not slowed down before his death.
In May 2026, he returned to the Simola Hillclimb in Knysna and won his second King of the Hill title in the Single Seater, Sports Car and Sports Prototype category.
Driving the Investchem-backed Gould GR55, Wolk recorded 35.024 seconds in the decisive Top 10 Shootout, averaging 195.295km/h.
The achievement was particularly significant because the Simola Hillclimb had become one of the events with which Wolk was closely associated.
The Knysna-Plett Herald described him as a familiar figure at the event, where competitors and spectators had watched him race over several years.
Motorsport South Africa also said Wolk returned to South African Touring Cars in June and secured a victory at Aldo Scribante.
At the time of his death, he remained an active competitor and was due to race at Killarney in Cape Town that weekend.
Motorsport South Africa pays tribute
Motorsport South Africa described Wolk as a highly respected figure whose career covered karting, single-seaters, touring cars and other forms of circuit racing.
“Robert was a hugely respected figure in South African motorsport, with a career spanning almost three decades and success across karting, single-seaters, touring cars and other forms of circuit racing,” the organisation said.
The governing body said his achievements were only part of his legacy.
“Robert will be remembered not only for the championships and victories he achieved, but for the passion, commitment and sportsmanship he brought to the sport throughout his career,” Motorsport South Africa said.
It added that his passion for racing remained evident until the end, noting that he was still competing nationally and was preparing for another race weekend.
A family and sporting community left grieving
While tributes from the motorsport community have emerged, detailed comments from Wolk’s immediate family had not been publicly released in the sources reviewed for this report.
Motorsport South Africa extended its condolences to Wolk’s family, friends, team members and colleagues.
The organisation’s statement referred to the loss as leaving a “profound void” in South African motorsport.
Wolk had also previously publicly acknowledged the role of his family in his racing career. Following his 2022 GTC championship, he specifically thanked his family for their continued support alongside his sponsors and racing team.
From the racetrack to a fatal roadside confrontation
There is a stark contrast between the circumstances in which Wolk built his reputation and the circumstances of his death.
For almost 30 years, he had made his name in an environment defined by competition, precision and controlled speed. He accumulated championships across several disciplines and was still competing at the highest national level in 2026.
On Wednesday, however, his life ended not on a racetrack but on a suburban Kempton Park road following what police are investigating as a road-rage-related shooting.
Police have urged anyone with information that could assist investigations into crimes in the Kempton Park area to come forward. SAPS has separately intensified investigations into the deaths of women whose bodies were discovered in the wider Kempton Park area, although those cases are separate from Wolk’s shooting.
For South African motorsport, Wolk’s death marks the sudden loss of a driver whose career had continued to produce major victories right up to 2026.
The investigation into how a minor road incident escalated into a fatal shooting remains ongoing.
Economy
Kaya 959 turns up the heat as Chefs & Chenin talent cooks live on air
Kaya 959 is bringing the flavours of the inaugural Chefs & Chenin Festival to its listeners, with some of the chefs taking over the station for a live cooking experience ahead of the two-day culinary celebration.
Chef Mahalia Jackson, Jacques Venter, Chef Tebogo Morgan and Saviour Moyo will be showcasing their culinary skills on air, giving listeners a taste of what they can expect when Chefs & Chenin takes place at Crawford International Sandton College on 26 and 27 September 2026.
The festival is presented in partnership with Kaya 959 and celebrates two distinctly South African passions – cooking over fire and Chenin Blanc.
Bringing the festival to Kaya 959
The live cooking sessions give Kaya 959 listeners an opportunity to get closer to the chefs and the food that will form part of the festival experience.
Rather than simply talking about what is coming, the chefs are putting their skills on display in the Kaya 959 studio, building anticipation for a weekend where food will be cooked over open flames and paired with South Africa’s much-loved Chenin Blanc.
The festival is designed as a celebration of food, wine, music and local creativity, with a Harvest Market, live entertainment, kids’ activities and an art exhibition also forming part of the programme.
Meet the chefs
Chef Mahalia Jackson brings more than three decades of experience in the culinary industry to the line-up. She is an executive chef, entrepreneur and published author, and has been the managing director of Added Touch Catering & Events since 2005.
Her career has included major corporate events and high-profile gatherings, with Jackson also having served guests including former presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki and international diplomats. She is also the author of Dare to Dream, a recipe book and memoir which won an African Authors Award in the Food Category.
Jacques Venter has built a career across different parts of Johannesburg’s culinary scene. According to his Chefs & Chenin profile, he began his career in 2003 as a commis chef at The Castle Kyalami before progressing to sous chef.
His experience has included fine dining at Roots restaurant at Forum Homini, work at Coco C in Bloemfontein and a stint at the Radisson Blu Sandton, where he worked his way up to executive sous chef. Since 2019, he has been part of the Pick n Pay group as a food specialist at Pick n Pay on Nicol and Thyme restaurant.
Chef Tebogo Morgan, the chef behind CRAVINGS, Gourmet Rainbow Cuisine, brings a fusion approach to the festival. Born in Mthatha and raised in Johannesburg, Morgan trained through the International Chef Management Diploma at Capsicum Culinary Studio in Cape Town.
His culinary style, which he describes as “Fire & Fusion”, brings together Asian and Mediterranean influences with open-fire cooking.
Saviour Moyo, who is also associated with Saint Restaurant Sandton, rounds out the group of chefs appearing as part of the Kaya 959 activation.
More than just food
Chefs & Chenin is being positioned as an experience rather than a conventional food festival.
General access tickets include a tasting meal at a pop-up restaurant of the guest’s choice, where chefs will showcase their food through live-fire cooking. There will also be curated Chenin Blanc tastings, alongside the Harvest Market, live music and entertainment for children.
The festival’s focus on open-fire cooking also taps into a familiar South African food tradition, while the Chenin Blanc element highlights one of the country’s most important wine varieties.
With Kaya 959 providing the radio platform and the chefs bringing the food to life on air, the build-up is giving audiences a preview of what awaits at Crawford International Sandton College.
Chefs & Chenin takes place on 26 and 27 September 2026. Tickets are available through Webtickets.
