Family of murdered Sindiso Magaqa shocked by arrests
‘It is good if those behind the plot are being arrested’
THE family of slain Umzimkhulu ANC councillor Sindiso Magaqa said they were pleased that the truth behind his murder was likely to be revealed following the arrest of a high-profile individual accused of being behind the plot to kill him.
“Its good knowing that those behind the plot are being arrested, it is no longer just the hitmen,” said Sindiso’s brother Lwazi Magaqa.
Magaqa died in hospital in September 2017, two months after he was shot in Umzimkhulu, near Harding.
ANC leader and Harry Gwala district mayor Mluleki Ndobe is expected to appear in the Umzimkhulu Magistrate’s Court today in connection with Magaqa’s murder. He was arrested this past weekend with a senior official from the Umzimkhulu Municipality.
Two other people believed to be former members of the police Tactical Response Team (TRT) were also arrested.
Yesterday a few hundred community members packed the court precinct waiting for Ndobe’s appearance. A large police contingent was also deployed around the court precinct and roads around the court were also closed. Ndobe’s appearance was postponed to today.
“We are shocked that it is people who are in the top leadership of the party who have been accused… this gives another image to the country. There are people who worked with him, led with him,” said Magaqa, struggling to control his emotions .
He said that although he was shocked, there had been rumours that his brother’s murder involved ANC members at the highest level.
“Sindiso (Magaqa) was gunned down in July and died in September. There are people he worked with but they never visited the family or him when he was in hospital. For all those months, where were they? It was clear there were divisions.”
He said the arrest could finally bring closure to Magaqa’s mother, who was still struggling with her son’s death.
“Every time she cries, wanting to know who killed her son and for what reason.
“At the mere mention of Magaqa’s name, she becomes gravely ill. There was an incident in December where she had been upset about issues around Magaqa and she fainted and we had to rush her to hospital.”
He said: “She has stopped watching TV whenever there are discussions about political violence in Umzimkhulu because she knows they will mention Magaqa and show his picture.”
A few of Maqaga’s supporters arrived in court wearing T-shirts with his face on them. They described Magaqa as someone who went out of his way to help others, adding that they were thankful to Police Minister Bheki Cele and his task team for the arrests.
Johan Burger of the Institute for Security Studies said the arrest of TRT members for their alleged role in the murder was not surprising as research had shown that highly trained police officers were involved in criminal activity.
He said police officers were involved in cash-in-transit heists and contract killings.
He said members of the TRT were highly trained and their skills set was valuable to criminals who are willing to pay a lot of money to entice them.
Cele’s spokesperson Reneilwe Serero said the formation of the inter-ministerial task team had led to more than 160 arrests.
“They have been working very hard and there are many cases.
“It is a battlefield in KwaZulu-Natal.”