ANOTHER ANC COUNCILLOR MURDERED IN KZN

ANC LOCAL councillor Sbu Maphumulo was killed while sitting in his car in uMlazi, Durban, the governing party said yesterday.

ANC eThekwini regional secretary Bheki Ntuli said a group of people had threatened to burn down Maphumulo’s house before he was ambushed and shot on Thursday evening.

“The ANC leadership in the region has visited the family to convey our deepest condolences following the untimely death of a community leader who was selfless and loved by his community,” said Ntuli. “We believe that more resources need to be allocated to ensure intelligence gathering to detect planned killings of leaders such as comrades Sbu Maphumulo and Thulani Nxumalo, who was the branch chairperson in Ward 12 in KwaNdengezi. Comrade Thulani was also gunned down outside his home,” Ntuli added.

The province, which is the biggest in terms of ANC branches, has seen a wave of political killings, especially at local level, increase in recent years.

A commission of inquiry, led by Advocate Marumo Moerane – appointed two years ago to probe political killings – laid the blame at the door of political parties. The more-than-400-page report found that state institutions such as the police, prosecutors and the intelligence services were manipulated by meddling politicians for their selfish ends. This had led to a loss of public confidence in the criminal justice system.

Moerane recommended the recruitment of more police officers to make thorough investigations and that political parties should settle their differences. In addition, the authorities should take allegations of corruption by politicians and criminals seriously and investigate them.