Family tells of danger slain Thobela faced
THE family of the murdered uMzimkhulu Municipality Speaker said his death was related to a bitter contestation for positions and not corruption.
The Moerane Commission probing political killings in KwaZulu-Natal previously heard that the killings were efforts to silence those opposed to corruption and mismanagement of public funds in the multimillion-rand upgrades at the uMzimkhulu Memorial Hall.
Nkosinathi Thobela, brother of slain Speaker Khaya Thobela, who was also deputy secretary of the Harry Gwala region, believes the murder was linked to contestation over positions ahead of the elective regional conference.
Khaya was ambushed at his home by unknown gunmen in April 2017 and died three days later in hospital. Another ANC councillor, Mduduzi Tshibase, was shot dead a month later and the third, former ANC Youth League secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa, was shot four months later. Magaqa died in hospital in September.
“Two dominant factions within the region were vying for positions. We knew of divisions and slates but we did not think this would lead to ANC members killing each other.
“Sindiso Magaqa and Khaya had not seen eye to eye in politics even before he (Magaqa) went to the youth league nationally,” he said.
Nkosinathi said the family became aware of the danger when pictures of five prospective leaders from both slates began circulating on social media – Khaya’s image was replaced with that of a dog and later with a picture of a burning candle.
“This told us that some people in the leadership contest had evil thoughts against my brother. Our interpretation was that Khaya would be dead before conference and that is what happened.
“We were close, he would have told me if his life was in danger at the municipality. Instead he raised concerns about the Harry Gwala elective conference race,” Nkosinathi explained.
Nkosinathi said the community was divided over the cause of the killings. “We have different perceptions and beliefs, but we want to see investigations uncover the truth because we all lost loved ones and are hurting.”
Five ANC officials were killed in the volatile Harry Gwala region last year.