MDN NEWS@MDNnewss
It’s dark, it hurts”, Husband recounts final goodbye before Johannesburg lawyer’s suspected targeted killing
A grieving husband has described the devastating moment he realised his wife had been shot dead on a Johannesburg street in what authorities believe may have been a targeted attack.
Labour lawyer Chinette Gallichan was gunned down in the Johannesburg CBD on Monday while on her way to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), where she was attending to a labour-related matter linked to her work for mining company Sibanye-Stillwater.
Speaking to eNCA, her husband, Keegan Gallichan, recalled how the day began like any other.
“It was a perfectly normal morning. We woke up, got ready for work, and I kissed her goodbye,” he said.
At around 9am, Keegan sent his wife a routine message wishing her a good day. Hours later, while at work in Pretoria, he came across a social media post reporting that a lawyer had been shot in central Johannesburg.
“I got a knot in my stomach,” he said.
Fearing the worst, he drove to the scene.
“I arrived and saw her body on the street. I ran towards her, but police stopped me because it was an active crime scene,” he said.
Moments later, he noticed items inside her vehicle that confirmed his fears.
“In the car next to her, I saw her phone, ID and keys. When they gave them to me, I knew it was my wife.”
Fighting back tears, he struggled to describe the loss.
“I don’t even know if I can put it into words,” he said. “It’s dark, it hurts. Nobody deserves to die. The way it happened feels barbaric.”
Police have launched a murder investigation. Authorities say the shooting bears the hallmarks of a targeted hit, although the motive has not yet been confirmed.
Gallichan was working in the labour litigation environment and was reportedly handling a dispute involving employees linked to the mining sector at the time of her death.
Her killing has sparked outrage among legal bodies and civil society organisations, with some describing the attack as a serious blow to the rule of law and raising concerns about the safety of legal professionals handling sensitive disputes.
For her husband, however, the tragedy remains deeply personal.
“I kissed her goodbye,” he said. “And then she was gone.”
