Ntuli calls for restraint from ANC supporters when attending court
No one should go to court and support ANC members if they are accused of killing other ANC members
THE ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has called on its supporters expected to attend today’s bail application in a Pietermaritzburg court matter related to the murder of an ANC councillor to act with dignity and restraint.
Musawenkosi “Maqatha” Mchunu, a known ally of President Cyril Ramaphosa, was killed in May.
Tensions are expected to be high as one of the accused is Ward 10 ANC councillor Nkosinathi Gambu.
The other accused are Skhanyiso Zimu, Sifiso Mbhele, Mlungisi Zimu, Ayanda Ngubane and Gift Zungu.
The suspects were arrested last month and face charges ranging from premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit murder and being in possession of an unlicensed firearm.
Mchunu was ambushed inside his home near Pietermaritzburg in May.
Mdumiseni Ntuli, provincial secretary of the ANC, said yesterday the provincial executive committee (PEC) was clear on the difference between ANC members going to court in order to support a “comrade who has been accused and going to court to create chaos among supporters of the ANC”.
“In cases like the Mchunu murder case there are ANC supporters who are there either in support of the victim and those who will be supporting the accused.
“The position of the provincial executive committee is that no one should go to court and support ANC members if they are accused of killing other ANC members.
“Doing so undermines the responsibility that the organisation holds… the ANC must always be on the side Provincial secretary of the ANC of justice.”
Ntuli said the party must always be seen as supporting the victims of crime as opposed to supporting the alleged perpetrators.
“Members of the ANC must exercise restraint and avoid going to court as it creates the impression that this is an organisation that is at war with itself.”
Ntuli also said the KwaZulu-Natal ANC had agreed on certain steps to be taken after reviewing the Moerane Commission of Inquiry’s report.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Willies Mchunu established the commission – which ran for more than a year after being granted two extensions – in October 2016 to look into the underlying causes of political killings in the province from 2011 onwards.
The 424-page report released last month contained summaries of the more than 60 witness testimonies from the commission.
The report also contained seven pages of recommendations garnered from those who testified and suggestions put forth by the commission.
All of the recommendations had repeatedly been made before by activists, commentators, civil society groups and ANC members. THE National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) and the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) yesterday agreed to suspend the biometric enrolment system and revert to the Social Grants Payment and Administration (Socpen) system used previously after Sassa acceded to union demands.
Nehawu secretary-general Zola Saphetha said it would today present the agreement reached with their members following a meeting with Social Development Minister Susan Shabangu yesterday.
The union embarked on a nationwide strike at Sassa offices saying members at Sassa had not been consulted on the system and not enlightened as to how the biometric system works.
He said it would only suspend