Call for review of ANC leaders’ safety
THE ANC in the Harry Gwala region in southern KwaZulu-Natal has called for the Department of State Security to conduct security assessments on its leaders following the murder of its regional deputy secretary, who died on Saturday after having been shot two days earlier.
Khaya Thobela, who was the speaker of the Umzimkhulu Municipality, was shot several times – in full view of his wife and children – when he arrived at his home in Mfundweni village on Thursday.
The ANC secretary in Harry Gwala region, Sindi Msomi, described the situation in the region as life-threatening for its party leaders.
Msomi said Thobela was among leaders who had not been provided with additional state security, as had happened with others who had security assessments carried out.
“The mayor of Ixopo Municipality has the security, while others in the municipality do not have it,” Msomi said.
KwaZulu-Natal is under a cloud of violence against councillors, recent victims including Richmond municipal manager Sibusiso Sithole, who was gunned down last month.
It is believed Thobela’s murder was linked to the elective conference in the Harry Gwala region set for June.
Sources in the ANC said Thobela was contesting the new regional secretary position. But Msomi said it was unclear which position Thobela was contesting, since branches were yet to nominate candidates.
“We will only know during the conference about who is contesting which position,” she said.
The ANC Youth League in KZN, the party’s leadership and the Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube have expressed outrage at Thobela’s murder.
“The ANC Youth League are against the killing of comrades and we call upon the law enforcement agencies to act with speed so that the perpetrators get arrested,” said youth league provincial secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo.
Dube-Ncube said she was concerned about the violence against councillors in the province. “It is unacceptable that yet another councillor in the province has been murdered,” she said.
Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said no one had yet been arrested for the murders of Thobela and Sithole.