ANC condemns councillor ‘involved in assassination’
Fellow leader killed over post
The ANC has condemned the alleged involvement of its councillor in the apparent assassination of one of the party’s local leadership hopefuls in the Eastern Cape.
This comes after the arrest of Winnie MadikizelaMandela local municipality councillor Lucky Mbuzi, who was named by the police as the suspect behind the killing of Mduduzi Madikizela, who died in a hail of bullets at his Bizana home on Friday in a suspected hit.
The ANC and other political parties are currently gearing themselves up for the local government elections scheduled for later this year and the party’s internal contests have over the years been marred by instances of political violence and killings as its leaders jostle for positions.
Mbuzi and Madikizela were set to go head-to-head for the councillor post for ward 6 ahead of municipal elections.
In a statement yesterday, ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe expressed alarm about Madikizela’s “cowardly murder”, which comes as ANC branches and regions across SA are convening their meetings and conferences and electing new leaders.
“We are concerned about what appears to be a growing disturbing culture of violent and criminal activities being orchestrated to eliminate others. We therefore call on law enforcement agencies to act swiftly and leave no stone unturned in timely unmasking the plot and the real motives behind this heinous act of murder,” Mabe said.
Eastern Cape NPA spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said Mbuzi was due in court on April 28 where he would face murder charges. “He was arrested along with three other people and his case is a suspected hit,” Tyali said.
“No member should ever be intimidated into not exercising their constitutional right. Families should feel safe when comrades are out to attend meetings of the ANC and never have doubts that their loved ones may never return alive,” Mabe said.
The ANC national leadership recently dispatched a task team to Mpumalanga after branch meetings convened to prepare for the long-awaited provincial conference degenerated into chaos and violence.
According to the Eastern Cape ANC, its ward 17 councillor at Emalahleni local municipality, who is yet to be named, was also arrested after being linked to murders of seven people, five of whom were allegedly burnt alive.
Tyali said the councillor was due in court on April 23 with seven others as they remained accused of mob justice.
Provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi said the ANC welcomed the arrests and that the two were instructed to immediately step aside while they were being investigated.