'Political hyenas' behind killings in Limpopo, says Cosatu

26 July 2019 - 16:15
By Dan Meyer
Cosatu has strongly condemned the killing of two ANC politicians in Limpopo who were gunned down on Tuesday July 23 2019.
Image: Gallo Images Cosatu has strongly condemned the killing of two ANC politicians in Limpopo who were gunned down on Tuesday July 23 2019.

A "well-organised and funded campaign by political hyenas" is being blamed by Cosatu for the murders of two people in Mokopane, Limpopo.

Cosatu condemned the killing of Vaaltyn Kekana, chairperson of the municipal public accounts committee in the Mogalakwena municipality, and Ralph Kanyane, an activist and ANC branch leader.

They were gunned down in their vehicle "in broad daylight" on Tuesday. Cosatu said politicians probing corruption and looting in the province were being targeted. 

"The federation strongly condemns this act of barbarism by political cowards who ... resort to hiring of assassins," said provincial secretary Gerald Mkhomazi Twala.

"Our suspicion is that there is a well-organised and funded campaign by political hyenas within the ANC who are hell-bent on silencing any voice speaking against corruption and looting in our province," he said in a statement.

Police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said that Kekana was shot at point blank range by a gunman who subsequently fled the scene, evading arrest. 

Twala called for a robust response to the violence from South Africans, saying that "political hyenas must be stopped before it is too late".

"These political hyenas think that they can strike fear into the ... forces of our national democratic revolution by hiring assassins to silence whistle blowers within our movement and society," he said. 

Twala said that the murders would only motivate the union to galvanise its efforts to root out corruption.

"Our campaign against corruption and looting will never be halted by guns," he said. "If anything, these assassinations are going to heighten our resolve to embark on militant campaigns to hound out corrupt elements within our movement and government."

He called on the public to help in the fight against corruption in the interest of preserving "our hard won democracy, freedom and good governance". 

"Beneficiaries of state capture, corruption and VBS looters will never intimidate the collective power and determination of our people in fighting corruption," he said.


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