ANC in KZN deeply perturbed by assassinations

THE ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has admitted to facing a desperate situation as it is unable to protect all its members from assassins.

But the party has remained defiant in the face of the killings, saying it will not be intimidated and will forge ahead with is programmes.

“When we joined the ANC prior to 1994, we knew that one of two things could happen to us. We could be killed or we could be jailed.

“We were not expecting this to continue after democracy but we will not be intimidated,” said the party’s provincial secretary, Super Zuma.

Zuma was speaking to The Star’s sister paper, The Mercury, following another killing of an ANC ward councillor on the South Coast.

Councillor Ace Houston, of ward 3 in uMuziwabantu municipality, was shot dead in full view of the community, which had attended a meeting on Thursday.

Another man was injured in the attack.

Bongani Skhosana, who was the ANC’s candidate for ward 1 in uMuziwabantu, was shot dead before the local gov- ernment elections in August.

He won the ward posthumously.

His position was filled by Selby Maphumulo, who is now under heavy security protection after receiving death threats.

It was also reported that about three weeks ago, an ANC proportional representative councillor, Thembinkosi Commando Zoleka, was gunned down at his home in Margate.

About 10 ANC members, including councillors and ordinary branch-level activists, are known to have been killed in various parts of the province, including Pietermaritzburg, Newcastle and Ladysmith.

“This (latest killing) is one of the cases we will be reporting to the commission set up by the province to investigate pol- itical killings for investigation.

“ANC members are worried about these killings, but it is practically impossible to protect every single ANC member or leader, and that is why we are appealing to the community to assist us in catching those responsible,” Zuma said.

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Willies Mchunu has set up a commission to investigate all the suspected political killings.

In a statement Zuma said: “This senseless violence against public representatives must stop and we call on law enforcement agencies to step in and restore peace and order in Harding immediately.

“The murder of councillors in the area will now create instability and make them unable to do their work in service of their communities.

“The ANC and community of uMuziwabantu Municipality are still recovering from the brutal murder of Skhosana a few days before the August 3, 2016 local government elections,” he said.

Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo of the KwaZulu-Natal Hawks said they were investigating the latest assassination. The motive for the killing was unknown and no arrest had been made, he said.