Three ANC leaders assassinated in 48 hours‚ party wants answers from detectives

02 June 2016 - 18:54 By Matthew Savides

The African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal is reeling after three party leaders were gunned down in the province in just 48 hours. On Wednesday afternoon‚ soon after leaving a meeting in Mbali township‚ Pietermaritzburg‚ branch chairman Nathi Hlongwa was shot and killed. The day before‚ 39-year-old Simo Mncwabe - who had hastily resigned as Mooi Mpofana municipality chief financial officer on Monday - was shot and killed while talking his children to school in Edendale‚ also in Pietermaritzburg. A third ANC member‚ identified as Makhathini‚ was murdered at Inchanga‚ halfway between Durban and Pietermaritzburg‚ between Monday and Tuesday."In the last two days‚ three comrades have been gunned down. We see this is an attempt to instill fear so that we will be paralysed by such senseless killings and stay away from campaigning‚" said ANC provincial spokesman Mdumiseni Ntuli on Thursday.However‚ he would not speculate on the reasons for the murders - but refused to rule out that it was internal politics."It's very difficult to speculate at the moment about whether it is internal or if it's external from other parties…because that can inflame a dangerous attitude and lead to a very bad situation‚" said Ntuli.However‚ Ntuli said that it was clear that these killings were targeted hits.He said Hlongwa‚ who was the branch chairman at ward 12 in Edendale‚ was shot multiple times‚ showing that it "was an assasination of some sort"."What worries us is that there seems to be a consistent pattern of how our comrades are being targeted. We are depending on law enforcement agencies to shed some light on developments‚" he said...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.