'Committed and dedicated' IFP leader shot to death in ambush

Zakhele Mazibuko‚ from the Inkatha Freedom Party's uThukela district‚ was killed in an ambush on Sunday night‚ the IFP confirmed on Sunday.

The IFP said on Sunday afternoon that Mazibuko‚ its publicity secretary in the uThukela district‚ "was fatally gunned down in an ambush" between Estcourt and Colenso‚ shortly after leaving an IFP district meeting.

He worked as the occupational and health manager at the uThukela district municipality.

Mazibuko‚ also known as Zakes‚ "was a committed and dedicated leader of the IFP who served the community with integrity"‚ said the statement issued by the party's national spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa and district chair Mbuzeleni Mkhize.

"The IFP and the community of uThukela have been robbed by agents of darkness and enemies of peace of a hard-working servant of the people. We are indeed poorer because of this untimely loss.

"We call for peace and calm during this time and allow for the investigation to run its full course."

Without speculating about the motive for the murder‚ the party said it is "of serious and grave concern that the killing of politicians has become a permanent feature of the political landscape of KwaZulu-Natal".

"The slow pace of police interventions in curbing political violence is overwhelmingly worrisome. . .

"This prevailing culture of violence does not bode well for free and fair elections next year‚ that are also free from fear."

The Moerane Commission of Inquiry into political violence in the province finished its work earlier this year. The report is expected to be released by the end of the month.