ANC MP Sibusiso Radebe was shot and killed in cold blood as his girlfriend watched helplessly.

The 40-year-old Radebe from Elukwatini in Mpumalanga was attacked outside Tshegofatso Ntseke's home in Roodepoort, Johannesburg, on Tuesday evening.

Radebe had been in a relationship with Ntseke, 35, who is a bank consultant, despite being married.

This was according to the woman's father Phillip Ntseke, who said the MP had been dating his daughter since last year. He said there was no animosity between them.

"His family [members] who came to see us this morning knew Tshegofatso quite well. Their relationship had been going on for a while, but I didn't know the gentleman personally.

"He would often come and park in the street with my daughter or sometimes go out in the evening," he said.

Ntseke said he witnessed one suspect shooting Radebe while he was on the ground.

He said he could not see his daughter after the gunshots and thought the suspects had taken her, only to realise that she had fled to the neighbours to seek help.

Speaking to Sowetan yesterday, a devastated Ntseke smoked repeatedly as he explained what had transpired the previous night.

Ntseke said his daughter and Radebe were robbed of their cellphones, adding that he had also noticed the attackers opening the boot of the deceased's car.

Police confirmed the robbery and said Radebe had been shot in the head and in the leg.

"Police have launched a search for two suspects believed to be responsible for the murder of a 40-year-old male victim," police spokeswoman Mathapelo Peters said.

"Preliminary reports indicate that the deceased was with another person in a vehicle when two suspects allegedly approached the vehicle and opened fire, fatally wounding the deceased, while his companion managed to escape uninjured."

Ntseke also blamed emergency services for responding late, saying Radebe could have survived had the ambulance arrived on time.

"This incident has traumatised us as a family but, secondly, I believe that he could have survived had the ambulance responded on time.

"The police came here 30 minutes after he was shot, but he was still alive at the time. The police also had to call the ambulance but, unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries."

EMS spokesman Robert Mulaudzi refused to comment, referring all the questions to the provincial department of health.

Gauteng health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa's spokesman Khutso Rabothata said: "[The] Gauteng department of health wishes to clarify the matter as to state that the City of Johannesburg renders the service of emergency medical services in the city on behalf of Gauteng EMS as an agent with a signed MOA [memorandum of association] and mandate to take full responsibility of all primary medical emergencies through the City."

Radebe's family spokeswoman Lungile Dube said the family was devastated by the loss. "This is a difficult time for the family as his passing was untimely."

Dube said the MP lived with his wife, Mtikane Radebe, in Kibler Park, south of Johannesburg. She said the wife was not taking his death well.

She refused to comment on the relationship between Radebe and Ntseke.

Radebe was serving on the portfolio committee on transport at the time of his death. ANC parliamentary chief whip Jackson Mthembu mourned Radebe's death in a statement and hailed him as a "dedicated servant" of the party.

"The ANC sends its deepest condolences to Radebe's wife and his entire family. May they find solace in the knowledge that we painfully share their loss and thank them for having borrowed the ANC, and the country, this incomparable servant of our people," he said.

Meanwhile, residents in the area said they would often see Radebe's BMW X6 in the evenings. "My mom used to see the car often, especially at night, and this is what she was telling us after the incident happened. I, myself, used to see the car but I didn't know who he was until yesterday," one neighbour said.