NEWS & ANALYSIS

Knysna councillor among group arrested for murder of ANC's Victor Malosi

Suspects, aged between 37 and 58, have been charged with murder as well as conspiracy to commit murder

Knysna councillor among group arrested for murder of ANC's Victor Malosi

15 August 2018

A man serving on the Knysna Municipal Council and three others were arrested for the murder of Ward 8 councillor Victor Molosi, police said on Wednesday.

Police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Pojie said that the suspects, aged between 37 and 58, have been charged with murder as well as conspiracy to commit murder.

"The integrated task team which comprises members from the Provincial Organised Crime Unit, Eden Cluster Detectives, Knysna Detectives and Eden Cluster Crime Intelligence, was established to investigate this case," he said.

"Their tireless efforts paid dividends when the investigation took them to Cape Town where two suspects [both 37 years old] were arrested yesterday [Tuesday]."

News24 previously reported that Molosi was shot at several times in Concordia on July 23 and died on arrival at hospital. 'He was like Mandela' He had apparently been on his way from a school governing body meeting at Concordia High School when a gunman approached him, Pojie said at the time.The gunman fired several shots, hitting him in the head.Mandla Tyololo, who was arrested earlier this month, appeared in Knysna Magistrate's Court for a formal bail hearing on similar charges relating to Molosi's murder on Wednesday.Tyololo and four others would appear in court on Thursday.

ANC provincial secretary Faiez Jacobs welcomed the arrests.

"As the ANC, we have confidence that the entire justice system will maintain this level of speed and efficiency so that comrade Molosi's family can have justice and the much needed answers," he said.

The ANC's chief whip in Knysna, Mertle Gombo, told News24 at the time that she did not think the attacker had come from the community.

"This man was dedicated and committed to his community. To me, he was like Mandela," she said.

"I think it is political. We will find out very soon. If the police are really doing what they are supposed to do, [we] will find out." Eden District Municipality ANC councillor Stephen de Vries also said at the time that, as far as he knew, Molosi was popular and had no enemies."He was a very kind person, a gentleman, somebody with a good soul. Those are not words you normally hear when you hear people describing politicians."

News24