KwaZulu-Natal cooperative governance and traditional affairs MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube has called for tighter security around councillors whose lives are in danger after two attacks on local politicians.
On Wednesday night the house of ward 12 councillor Nancy Jili from the Ubuhlebezwe municipality in the KZN Midlands was burned to the ground. Jili managed to escape without injury.
The attack followed the murder of ANC councillor Sibusiso Maphumulo‚ who was gunned down near his home in Umlazi on Thursday night last week‚ after he was threatened by a mob just hours before.
In a statement on Thursday‚ Dube-Ncube called for strong measures to be taken against perpetrators of “these cowardly acts” and for law enforcement agencies to increase security measures to protect councillors.
“These incidents are cause for great concern across the sphere of local government in the province as lives of representatives continue to be under threat from unruly elements that want to take our province to the past‚” she said.
“The trauma which has been experienced by the Jili and Maphumulo families is something that should never happen again within our province. The senseless intimidation of public representatives by criminal elements will not be tolerated.”
Dube-Ncube has dispatched a team of officials to Ubuhlebezwe municipality to assess the damage and explore ways to assist Jili and her family.
She has also appealed to the community to come forward with information that could assist the police in the arrest of those responsible for these criminal acts.
Jili was not available for comment.
Security tightened after councillor's home is razed
Image: Supplied
KwaZulu-Natal cooperative governance and traditional affairs MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube has called for tighter security around councillors whose lives are in danger after two attacks on local politicians.
On Wednesday night the house of ward 12 councillor Nancy Jili from the Ubuhlebezwe municipality in the KZN Midlands was burned to the ground. Jili managed to escape without injury.
The attack followed the murder of ANC councillor Sibusiso Maphumulo‚ who was gunned down near his home in Umlazi on Thursday night last week‚ after he was threatened by a mob just hours before.
In a statement on Thursday‚ Dube-Ncube called for strong measures to be taken against perpetrators of “these cowardly acts” and for law enforcement agencies to increase security measures to protect councillors.
“These incidents are cause for great concern across the sphere of local government in the province as lives of representatives continue to be under threat from unruly elements that want to take our province to the past‚” she said.
“The trauma which has been experienced by the Jili and Maphumulo families is something that should never happen again within our province. The senseless intimidation of public representatives by criminal elements will not be tolerated.”
Dube-Ncube has dispatched a team of officials to Ubuhlebezwe municipality to assess the damage and explore ways to assist Jili and her family.
She has also appealed to the community to come forward with information that could assist the police in the arrest of those responsible for these criminal acts.
Jili was not available for comment.
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