KZN councillor killings ‘threatens to reverse stability in the province’: MEC

The African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal doesn’t just want the gunmen behind a recent spate of killings brought to book; it also wants the law to come down hard on the people behind the attacks.

This comes after Mbhekiseni “Pat” Khumalo‚ 57‚ a ward 7 councillor in uPhongolo‚ northern KZN‚ was gunned down at his home at the weekend.

He is the third ANC councillor to be murdered in the last five weeks.

KZN ANC secretary Super Zuma said the party was worried about the spate of killings‚ and that it appeared that there is a “list” of councillors being targeted.

“It’s not that everyone is panicking‚ we just don’t know who is on the list. It’s that these are hit-and-run‚ and it makes it difficult. It’s better if you know that there is a threat [against a certain individual]. We don’t know who is being targeted‚ but you can see that it’s a planned thing by the manner in which it’s happening.

“We don’t know what the motives are. We want those who pulled the trigger‚ yes‚ but we’re more interested in who is planning this‚” Zuma said.

Even before the murder of their comrade‚ councillors in the uPhongolo local municipality had been living in fear and had written to the municipality asking for security‚ said council speaker Vusi Masuku.

However‚ before that request could be granted‚ Khumalo was gunned down by an unknown assailant who arrived at his house at about 8pm on Saturday night pretending to be a resident seeking help.

Masuku said about five councillors had forwarded requests to his office asking for security‚ and he had tabled the issue at a council meeting before the recess.

“We were still waiting for the resolution on this matter. But we knew of no issues with Councillor Khumalo‚ and he is not among those who asked for protection‚” said Masuku.

Starting with ANC proportional representation councillor Thembinkosi “Commando” Zoleka on November 10‚ three ANC councillors have been murdered in the last five weeks. Zoleka was gunned down in Margate in the KwaZulu-Natal south coast. Three weeks later‚ on December 1‚ Umuziwabantu Municipality Ward 3 councillor Alwin “Ace” Houston was shot and killed shortly after addressing a public meeting. Khumalo's was the third killing.

But before them‚ in and around the time of the August 3 local government elections‚ as many as 22 politicians‚ many of them councillors‚ were murdered. The provincial government established a commission of inquiry at the end of October‚ but it is yet to start its work as the government was still finalising logistics‚ including venues and the arrangement of witnesses.

Reacting to Khumalo's murder‚ cooperative governance MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube said: "We have not seen this many killings in KZN in a very long time and this latest murder is threatening to reverse the stability we have built over time in the province with a long history of violent conflict.”

Her spokesman‚ Lennox Mabaso‚ said there had been “sporadic reports” from councillors about their safety given the recent spate of killings.

“But‚ as you know‚ the safety and security matters belong to police who protect leaders and citizens alike‚” he said. – TMG Digital/The Times