Standing outside the home of slain uMngeni chief whip Nhlalayenza Ndlovu, who was gunned down on Tuesday night in front of his wife and two children, a grieving Sthembiso Ndlovu’s mood matched the gloomy weather.
Fine rain fell on Sthembiso as he told journalists that Nhlalayenza was shot by three armed men who knocked on his door at about 7.30pm at his home in Emasosheni along the R617 near Mpophomeni township, outside Howick.
“We are reeling in shock as you can see. I can barely keep my head up due to the devastating blow,” said Sthembiso, speaking outside the home which was still teeming with police.
He said his sister-in-law Pretty, and the two children, who had all witnessed the shooting, were traumatised.
Midlands EMS Howick advanced life support paramedics responded to the scene after reports of the shooting.
Paramedics arrived to find that Ndlovu had numerous gunshot wounds. He later succumbed to his injuries and was declared dead at the scene.
Family and colleagues have pinned their hopes on vital video footage which might lead police to his killers.
“The police have reliably informed us that on the main road leading to my brother’s home there are cameras, so we hoping that would help,” said Sthembiso.
He said the family had not received information suggesting that Ndlovu’s life was in danger.
But uMngeni municipality mayor Chris Pappas, who counted Ndlovu as a friend, said the councillor had reported a death threat to him made by a local man, who was politically involved.
On Wednesday, Pappas said the municipality was offering a R100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of his killers.
The Midlands municipality is the sole council governed by the party in the province. It had been previously governed by the ANC.
Ndlovu had previously lead the caucus in Mooi Mpofana before moving to uMngeni council.
DA provincial leader Francois Rodgers said unconfirmed information at his disposal was that there may have been unhappiness about the municipality’s campaign to disconnect illegal electricity connections.
“The information I have is that the municipality has undertaken disconnection of illegal electricity connections. My information tells me this could well be part of it, but again, I’m just speculating. We must allow SAPS to do its investigation.”
The issue of political killings and that of traditional leaders was among the issues the DA engaged with Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini during a courtesy visit on Wednesday at the old legislature in Ulundi, just hours after the murder.
Rodgers said they had “fruitful” engagement, where they discussed some key issues they believed are challenges in the province.
Among those are political intolerance and killing of traditional leaders, which Rodgers said the king condemned.
“The king was obviously very forthright that it still remains a scourge in KZN and that as leadership we all need to take roles and responsibilities in trying to address political killings,” he said.
“We also spoke about his late father (King Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu) who was also vociferous and forthright about political killings. Obviously if his majesty wants to drive that agenda to try and unite our province, it is now his role and responsibility.”
He said the monarch could have a similar impact to the late King Zwelithini, who came out at a time when the province was facing “torrid time of political intolerance” and called on people to set their political differences aside and talk to each other.
“I think the king [Misuzulu] can send out a strong message calling for people to respect human dignity and human life.”
He called on police to bring to book the killers, who destroyed “the life of a DA councillor, of a human, of a man, of a father in the community of Howick”.
Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube said the public representatives are what holds communities together and continued killing of political leaders in the province was a direct attack those communities.
“We simply will not allow our province to become a killing field, especially of politicians and traditional leaders. Those elected should be allowed the space and time to govern. Attacks on politicians are invariably an attack on the very institutions which hold our democracy together and should never be countenanced,” she said.
Co-operative government and traditional affairs MEC Bongi Sithole-Moloi said this was another regretful incident in the province as she called for peace and stability in councils.
“It is always a matter of great concern when a ward councillor is killed in this manner, instilling fear in the public and fellow councillors,” she said.
“We are particularly saddened that incidents of killing our democratically elected councillors continue in our municipalities at a time when we thought the dark cloud had passed as our democracy has matured.”
The alarming rise in political killings in KwaZulu-Natal is deeply concerning, with little to no intervention from our law enforcement agencies. We hope the authorities will conduct the necessary investigations and ensure that those responsible for this senseless action are made to face the law.
— ActionSA provincial leader,
Zwakele Mncwango
Dr Lubna Nadvi, UKZN lecturer and political analyst who specialises in conflict transformation and peace studies, said the manner of Ndlovu’s killing was tragic and called for greater protection of public officials.
“It points to the fact that people who hold public office are even more vulnerable to being assassinated. There needs to be greater protection of public officials by perhaps ensuring they have panic buttons or other tracking devices so they can call for help if their life is threatened. If they do lose their lives, the cases must be fast-tracked to ensure justice is achieved,” she said.
She said the prevalence of political killings, especially in KZN, generally emanates from the perpetrators feeling “threatened” by the work the person, who ends up becoming a target, is doing in the community.
She suggested that there must be public education campaigns aimed at addressing ignorance among the public on this scourge.
KZN Salga and IFP provincial chairperson Thami Ntuli said Ndlovu’s murder was a tragedy for the entire community and a reminder of the challenges faced by those who commit themselves to public service.
He also called for political parties and supporters to engage in constructive dialogue rather than violence in the run up to the 2024 national elections.
“The murder of Cllr Ndlovu is a stark reminder that political differences should be resolved through peaceful dialogue and democratic processes, not through violence. As we express our condolences, we call upon all political leaders, activists and citizens to unite against political violence.
“Violence has no place in our democratic society, and we must work collectively to ensure that the upcoming voting season is characterised by tolerance, understanding and the peaceful exchange of ideas.”
ANC provincial spokesperson Mafika Mndebele said this was another “barbaric” killing that community safety MEC Sipho Hlomuka would urgently address.
“These barbaric killings are insane. They take our province backwards and will also make people, who want to serve our country, retreat from doing so because of fear for their lives. Therefore it must be attended to with the urgency it deserves.”
ActionSA provincial leader Zwakele Mncwango said: “The alarming rise in political killings in KwaZulu-Natal is deeply concerning, with little to no intervention from our law enforcement agencies.”
“We hope the authorities will conduct the necessary investigations and ensure that those responsible for this senseless action are made to face the law.”
Ntuli said the increasing trend of political killings in KZN revealed a “disturbing pattern” that does not only endanger the lives of public officials but also undermines the “democratic foundations of our society”.
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