19 December 2016

Durban – A spate of public officials' murders is threatening years of stability in KwaZulu-Natal, MEC for co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) Nomusa Dube-Ncube said on Monday.

"We have not seen this many killings in KZN in a very long time and this latest murder is threatening to reverse the stability we have built over time in the province with a long history of violent conflict," she said.

Dube-Ncube said the shooting of uPhongolo municipality's Ward 7 councillor Mbhekiseni "Pat" Khumalo, 57, on Saturday night appeared to be part of a well-orchestrated killing spree of public officials.

Khumalo was shot dead at his house by an unknown assailant who posed as a resident requiring assistance.

Dube-Ncube said Khumalo's death comes as the province is still "licking its wounds" following the murders of councillor Ace Houston in Harding and of Inkosi Mathonsi of Mandeni.

Both were killed in recent shootings.

"These attacks are a blow to our province's democratic system of local government as the victims were elected representatives of the people. We express our condolences to the family and community of the slain councillor."

Dube-Ncube called on law enforcement agencies to bring Khumalo's killer to book and urged the community to keep calm.

"We...call upon the leadership of the area to work together to ensure peace and stability in the area... We are indeed shocked that in this day and age, people can still murder councillors."

This article first appeared on News24, see here.