Police praised for speedy arrest
WEDNESDAY APRIL 26 2017 THE ANC in KwaZulu-Natal and Community Safety and Liaison MEC Mxolisi Kaunda have commended the police for arresting a man suspected of murdering Umzimkhulu council Speaker and ANC activist Khaya Thobela.
Thobela’s family said they had not heard about the arrest at the time of publication.
The man was caught on Sunday on the N3 highway in Van Reenen, near Ladysmith, in a taxi on its way to Gauteng.
Captain Nqobile Gwala, the provincial police spokesperson, said the 37-year-old suspect was arrested by the Ladysmith Tactical Response Team, K9 Unit, Crime Intelligence and Van Reenen police.
She said the team followed up on intelligence that the man was fleeing to Gauteng.
“We say bravo to police for their swift action. We have to deal swiftly with this new trend where those who hold public office and political positions are attacked or murdered,” said Kaunda.
The ANC in the province said the killing of Thobela, who was the party’s regional deputy secretary in the Harry Gwala Region, demonstrated the importance of intensifying all efforts to defeat crime in KwaZulu-Natal.
“We understand the arrest will not bring Comrade Thobela back. However, we are encouraged that police will squeeze the truth out of him to tell us the motive for the gruesome killing,” said ANC provincial spokesperson Mdumiseni Ntuli.
Senior ANC members in the region had revealed that the motive was related to the elective regional conference to take place in June, where branches had nominated Thobela to be the new regional secretary.
When contacted by Independent Mediayesterday, Thobela’s brother Sibongiseni welcomed the news although the family had not yet been informed of the latest development.
He said the family was devastated, and so too were community members who had treated Thobela as their leader.
“Within the family he was a pillar of hope.
“He was the one who looked after us as he was the only one with a good income,” Sibongiseni said.
“Among his siblings, he was the only one who had pushed to complete matric and study further.”
Sibongiseni’s late brother was a teacher before he became the Speaker of the rural municipality. He died on Sunday morning. He leaves behind four children aged 8 months to 18 years.