Shot KZN councillor still fearing for her life
unflinching loyalty to the ANC.
“Such behaviour must be condemned with the contempt it deserves,” Nzuza said.
Despite the apparent attack on Malema, Nzuza said his organisation would afford everyone who had worked with Magaqa the opportunity to pay tribute to him “in a manner befitting his gallant contributions to the struggles of South African people, rather than tarnishing them”.
“We will ensure that all those who wish to pay respect to comrade Magaqa, beyond petty political differences, are afforded an opportunity to do so. Believing, as we do, that many will resist the temptation to use such platforms for unsavoury tendencies.” UMZIMKHULU Municipality councillor Nontsikelelo Mafu, who was shot multiple times in the shooting incident that claimed the life of former ANC Youth League secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa two months ago, is fearful that another attempt may be made on her life.
Mafu and Jabulile Msiya, who is also a councillor, were both discharged from hospital after they were shot at in July, but Magaqa, who was a proportional representative councillor, died at a Durban hospital last week as a result of the bullet wounds.
Mafu believes there may be another plan to kill her.
“I don’t feel safe because there is political tension in the area,” she said.
Umzimkhulu mayor Mphuthumi Mpabanga said he was also concerned about the delays in the security assessment on councillors, and he believed this had left the councillors vulnerable.
Mafu said the situation was tense in her ward as there was a dispute over her being elected a councillor.
“I hear from comrades that there are people who want this ward to have a by-election,” she said.
Mafu said she had not fully recovered from three bullet wounds in her leg. “I hope to return to work in October,” she added.
Mafu, who spent two weeks in hospital, said that prior to the shooting incident on July 13, many councillors had been receiving death threats.
“Magaqa had told us that he had been followed.
“He had been vocal about corruption at the municipality. We also expressed concerns about corruption during council meetings,” Mafu said.
The municipality has 43 councillors, and four have been gunned down in recent months, including Speaker Khayalethu Thobela, who was killed in April.
Mpabanga said that immediately after Thobela’s murder, he, his deputy Sindisiwe Nkala and chief whip Xolani Tshazi were assigned bodyguards.
Mpabanga said the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal was conducting the security assessment.