ANC tries to keep the peace

The ANC says it is working hard in Umzimkhulu to ensure no flare-up in violence as the party prepares for the funeral of slain councillor Sindiso Magaqa.

The former ANC Youth League secretary-general was wounded by gunmen in July and died in a Durban hospital on September 4.

He was the 10th person to die in politically motivated killings in KwaZulu-Natal since the beginning of 2017, with half of them being from Umzimkhulu.

A memorial service was held on Thursday afternoon in the southern KwaZulu-Natal town‚ and Magaqa’s funeral is to take place on Saturday.

ANC KwaZulu-Natal secretary Super Zuma said the party was working hard to deal with tensions in the area.

“A team of provincial executive committee members were here in Umzimkhulu meeting with branches and discussing. tolerance and ... moving together for this memorial service and the funeral‚ so that we have a dignified funeral.

“Even yesterday [Wednesday] we met with the branches‚” Zuma said.

The tensions that were evident the day after Magaqa’s death — when several provincial leaders were turned away from his home — were being tackled, he said. “We started engaging politically. We are addressing those issues.”

The party’s provincial leadership would speak to Police Minister Fikile Mbalula after the funeral for an update on the murder investigation, he said.