Corrupt politicians blamed for political killings in KZN

Corrupt ANC politicians have been blamed for a climate of "fear‚ intimidation‚ assassinations and killings" in Richmond‚ the Moerane Commission of Inquiry heard in Durban on Monday.

"Those that are doing the stealing want to eliminate those that are trying to expose them‚" testified DA constituency head for Richmond‚ Dean Macpherson.

In the past few months Richmond councillor Sfiso Mkhize‚ deputy mayor Thandazile Phoswa‚ municipal manager S'bu Sithole and ward councillor Ntokozo Lithi Maphumulo were gunned down in the small KwaZulu-Natal town.

Macpherson told the commission – established to probe the underlying causes of the murder of politicians in KwaZulu-Natal - that Sithole was unpopular due to his strong stance against corruption.

Sithole received an award for being the best municipal manager in the province. He was against the ANC's application to pay two of its councillors full-time salaries‚ suspended a senior manager for alleged corruption linked to tenders and was investigating Richmond's chief financial officer for alleged corruption and maladministration.

"In all of these killings and the arson that took place there has not been a single arrest … There has been no action. It seems incredible that people can get killed outside police stations in broad daylight and not a single person sees anything‚ more so police‚" Macpherson said.

"Law enforcement are either being paid to be involved or protect those that are doing the killing or they are protecting very senior politicians within the ANC." Advocate Marumo Moerane chairs the commission. Other commissioners are advocate Vasu Gounden and professor Cheryl Potgieter. Solomuzi Mdledle is the commission's secretary.