The African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal has raised alarm bells following the killing of another two of its councillor candidates‚ ahead of August’s local government elections.
The party in the province said KwaZulu-Natal needed economic growth and sustainable development‚ and neither of those could be achieved in an atmosphere marked by politically motivated killings on the eve of an election.
It claimed that the murders were part of a “well-orchestrated campaign to cull the party’s candidates”.
A total of 13 ANC leaders and members have been killed in the province in the past four months.
In the past‚ the party has been loathe to admit to the political motive. It merely called on law enforcement agencies to investigate and provide better security ahead of the August 3 polls.
But the rising death toll seems to be forcing a change of approach.
On Monday‚ ward councillor candidate in Umuziwabantu Municipality Bongani Skhosana was shot dead in front of a group of children he was transporting to school.
Another candidate‚ Khanyisile Ngobese-Sibisi‚ was shot and killed in Ladysmith on her way to a Nelson Mandela Day event.
The ANC in the province said a number of its members had also received death threats.
In June‚ Police Minister Nathi Nhleko established a task team to investigate killings believed to be politically motivated‚ after the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal called on police to escalate its investigations.
ANC provincial spokesperson Mdumiseni Ntuli on Monday said the party had not received any reports from the police or feedback on the task team.
Hawks spokesperson Brig Hangwani Mulaudzi said on Tuesday: “The task team is investigating the matter‚ so far no breakthrough.”
The ANC’s secretary in KwaZulu-Natal‚ Super Zuma‚ has now called for a commission of inquiry to be established into the killings. Apart from national government‚ the premier‚ Willies Mchunu‚ could also consider taking such action.
“As the ANC we are concerned about the slow progress in apprehending the perpetrators and in identifying the dark forces that apparently stand behind this carnage‚” said Zuma.
“The ANC is also calling for an urgent meeting with the provincial and national ministers of safety and security to deal with these killings.”
In April‚ an ANC eThekwini councillor was shot and killed at the Glebelands hostel in Umlazi. In June‚ the ANC branch chairperson in Edendale‚ Pietermaritzburg‚ Nathi Hlongwa‚ was shot and killed a day after Simo Mncwabe‚ who had just resigned as Mooi Mpofana municipality chief financial officer‚ was shot and killed while talking his children to school in Edendale.
Another ANC member was murdered at Inchanga‚ between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. This was followed by the killing of two women who were shot while on their way from an ANC branch elections task team meeting in the township of Imbali‚ just outside Pietermaritzburg.
Earlier in July‚ an ANC ward councillor candidate‚ Thembi Mbongo‚ was shot and killed in Newcastle‚ northern KwaZulu-Natal in front of her husband and children. In May‚ ANC Youth League regional deputy chairman Wandile Ngubeni was also gunned down in Newcastle.
- Tiso Black Star Group Digital/BDLive
ANC alarmed as another two councillor candidates murdered
The party in the province said KwaZulu-Natal needed economic growth and sustainable development‚ and neither of those could be achieved in an atmosphere marked by politically motivated killings on the eve of an election.
It claimed that the murders were part of a “well-orchestrated campaign to cull the party’s candidates”.
A total of 13 ANC leaders and members have been killed in the province in the past four months.
In the past‚ the party has been loathe to admit to the political motive. It merely called on law enforcement agencies to investigate and provide better security ahead of the August 3 polls.
But the rising death toll seems to be forcing a change of approach.
On Monday‚ ward councillor candidate in Umuziwabantu Municipality Bongani Skhosana was shot dead in front of a group of children he was transporting to school.
Another candidate‚ Khanyisile Ngobese-Sibisi‚ was shot and killed in Ladysmith on her way to a Nelson Mandela Day event.
The ANC in the province said a number of its members had also received death threats.
In June‚ Police Minister Nathi Nhleko established a task team to investigate killings believed to be politically motivated‚ after the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal called on police to escalate its investigations.
ANC provincial spokesperson Mdumiseni Ntuli on Monday said the party had not received any reports from the police or feedback on the task team.
Hawks spokesperson Brig Hangwani Mulaudzi said on Tuesday: “The task team is investigating the matter‚ so far no breakthrough.”
The ANC’s secretary in KwaZulu-Natal‚ Super Zuma‚ has now called for a commission of inquiry to be established into the killings. Apart from national government‚ the premier‚ Willies Mchunu‚ could also consider taking such action.
“As the ANC we are concerned about the slow progress in apprehending the perpetrators and in identifying the dark forces that apparently stand behind this carnage‚” said Zuma.
“The ANC is also calling for an urgent meeting with the provincial and national ministers of safety and security to deal with these killings.”
In April‚ an ANC eThekwini councillor was shot and killed at the Glebelands hostel in Umlazi. In June‚ the ANC branch chairperson in Edendale‚ Pietermaritzburg‚ Nathi Hlongwa‚ was shot and killed a day after Simo Mncwabe‚ who had just resigned as Mooi Mpofana municipality chief financial officer‚ was shot and killed while talking his children to school in Edendale.
Another ANC member was murdered at Inchanga‚ between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. This was followed by the killing of two women who were shot while on their way from an ANC branch elections task team meeting in the township of Imbali‚ just outside Pietermaritzburg.
Earlier in July‚ an ANC ward councillor candidate‚ Thembi Mbongo‚ was shot and killed in Newcastle‚ northern KwaZulu-Natal in front of her husband and children. In May‚ ANC Youth League regional deputy chairman Wandile Ngubeni was also gunned down in Newcastle.
- Tiso Black Star Group Digital/BDLive
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