Body of abducted IFP councillor found

A KwaZulu-Natal IFP councillor, Themba Xulu, who was abducted in KwaMashu, north of Durban, on Friday by men masquerading as police, has been found dead.

Xulu's body was found yesterday in Inanda, a township near KwaMashu.

The abduction of Xulu, an eThekwini municipality councillor, was hours before IFP member Celiwe Shezi was shot and killed on Saturday in what is believed to have been an ambush near the KwaMashu men's hostel.

The latest murders bring the number of political killings in the province since 2009 to at least 36.

The violence has forced national police commissioner Riah Phiyega to approve the deployment of more than 100 additional members of the elite Tactical Response Team and Public Order Policing Unit to quell the ever-increasing unrest.

Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa and IFP national organiser Albert Mncwango visited KwaMashu on Saturday to speak to hundreds of IFP members who had gathered near the hostels to express their anger about Xulu's abduction.

With IFP members threatening to raid houses of rival National Freedom Party members living close to the hostels, heavily armed police descended on the area to prevent bloodshed.

The area is notorious for violence between IFP and NFP members.

The NFP is being blamed for Xulu's murder.

The latest violence broke out two weeks after the killing of NFP member Zakheni Siphamandla Gwala. He was shot in his house.

He was the son of NFP councillor Bhungu Gwala.

Police spokesman Colonel Jay Naicker said Xulu's decomposed body was found by a passer-by.

"He had been shot several times," he said.

Naicker confirmed that Phiyega had ordered the deployment of additional police.

"Provincial police officers will meet political leaders to find a solution to the violence," he said.

Nkanyiso Ntuli, a spokesman for Shezi's family, said Shezi and other IFP members were ambushed while on their way to the hostel.

He alleged the family knew who was behind Shezi's "assassination" and that of other IFP members.

"My aunt was killed for nothing by those opposing IFP. The family is shocked," said Ntuli.

KwaZulu-Natal IFP leader in the provincial legislature Blessed Gwala said the police were working hard to apprehend the people who abducted Xulu . "the police will hunt the culprits down".

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for transport, community safety and liaison Willies Mchunu said: "We have spoken to the IFP leaders ... we have urged both the IFP and the NFP leaders to communicate [with each other]."

An off-duty policeman was killed near a KwaMashu police station close to the hostels.

Naicker said the officer, who cannot be named until his next of kin have been told of his death, was a member of the protection and security services.

Police sources said it was not known whether the murder was linked to the violence in the nearby hostels.