Cape Town activist lawyer Ayanda Gladile gunned down in Khayelitsha

Police are investigating the murder of activist lawyer Ayanda Gladile who was shot on Sunday close to his home in Khayelitsha, Cape Town.

The 34-year-old advocate, involved in establishing the EFF in the Western Cape and prominent for representing those implicated in "#FeesMustFall” cases, was shot in the neck.

Provincial police spokesperson Lt-Col Malcolm Pojie said there had been no arrests. “Harare detectives are probing a murder case following the death of a 34-year-old man in Makhaza,” said Pojie.

“Preliminary investigation reveals that members attended to a shooting incident in Golide Street in Makhaza ... at about 4.50pm. On arrival at the scene, the members found the man had already succumbed to a gunshot wound to his neck.”

Pojie added: “Police and forensic experts combed the scene for clues.”

The Black Lawyers Association (BLA) condemned the killing.

“We are concerned that this phenomenon of the killing of black lawyers in their own communities is undesirably getting too common,” the BLA said.

“The unfortunate irony is that Adv Gladile has dedicated his life to live amid our people and be accessible to help dispense justice in service of the desperate and vulnerable communities, yet he gets killed within the very community he makes sacrifices to serve.

“We call upon the law enforcement agencies to leave no stone unturned in investigating this senseless and heinous crime and bring the culprits to the full might of the law. We pass our sincere condolences to the Gladile family and friends and assure them that we grieve with them during the loss of their loved one.”

The Black People’s National Crisis said Gladile was shot “multiple times while intervening in a robbery close to his home in Makhaza.

“Fighter Ayanda Gladile was a founding member of the gallant EFF in the Western Cape.

“Advocate Ayanda Gladile was one of the progressive black advocates who stood up to the challenge during the #FeesMustFall movement in Cape Town, when students were arrested and offered his services pro bono, and as a result many student activists avoided jail.”

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