Murdered ANC councillor had survived two previous assassination attempts

Western Cape police are investigating the murder of an ANC councillor who was gunned down outside his home.

Arthur Gqeba was shot just before midnight in Vredenburg on Friday. The 40-year-old Saldanha Bay councillor had survived two previous attempts on his life.

Provincial police spokesperson Capt Frederick van Wyk said Gqeba was shot about 11.30pm in Chroom Street, in Ongegund, Vredenburg.

“SAPS members received a report of murder at the mentioned address and on their arrival found the deceased lying on the ground with a gunshot wound to his body,” said Van Wyk.   

“Investigations continue, with no arrest as yet.”   

ANC provincial spokesperson Muhammad Khalid Sayed said the party’s provincial secretary Neville Delport was aware of the threats to Gqeba’s life. Delport is the former ANC west coast regional secretary.

“Delport, at the time he was the regional secretary, was most certainly aware of the two assassination attempts on the late comrade Arthur Gqeba,” said Sayed. “In this capacity he, together with the regional leadership, immediately took the matter up and mandated the ANC chief whip in the Saldanha Bay municipality to raise the issue with the speaker and security was provided. That was the intervention that the ANC managed to push.” 

He said the ANC was not in a position to provide security.

“ANC is not necessarily able to provide security. That is the responsibility of government — particularly the government structure where the public representative is serving and that provision was made,” he said. “But the major concern was that the municipality withdrew the security and the ANC expressed its dismay at that — even inside council.” 

Sayed said Delport was not aware of the motive of the killing.   

“According to the provincial secretary, it is very important for security to be ramped up by the local government — not only for ANC councillors but for councillors at large. Councillors are at the cutting edge of service delivery issues which are linked to tensions in communities where there is huge competition.

Ethne Lawrence, the spokesperson for Saldanha Bay municipality, would not be drawn to comment on why Gqeba’s security was withdrawn.

 “Saldanha Bay Municipality is saddened by the loss of councillor Arthur Gqeba and we strongly condemn this violent and brutal attack,” . said Lawrence.

TimesLIVE