ANC CONDEMNS THE COWARDLY ACT OF KILLING OF POLITICIANS IN KWAZULU-NATAL
The African National Congress condemns the brutal, callous, and cold-blooded murder of politicians in KwaZulu-Natal.
As the leaders of society, the ANC is dismayed and shocked at this evil scourge in the province, following the loss of three community leaders in less than a week.
The ANC is severely pained by the continuous killing of community leaders in the province.
Yesterday, two political leaders were gunned down in the province. We call on the police to investigate the wanton and unrelentless killing of ANC leader, Cde Msawenkosi “Maqatha-Qashana” Mchunu in Moses Mabhida Region as well as the IFP's Sbuyiselo Dlamini in Ulundi.
This was preceded by the assasination of Cde Sifiso Cele, Oshabeni branch treasurer at Ray Nkonyeni Municipality on the Lower South Coast Region on Monday, in front of his family.
Subsequently, yesterday afternoon, Cde Mchunu was shot at his house in KwaPata by two unknown males. It is alleged that the assailants stormed Cde Mchunu’s home and opened fire on him without a word. He was rushed to hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
We sincerely wish to express our deepest condolences to the families of the ANC and IFP leaders whose lives perished in hands of these criminal assassins.
Cde Mchunu will be remembered as one of the militant cadres of the movement, from his youth days in the then Natal Midlands. He is among many comrades who graduated from the ANCYL to serve in the structures of the ANC.
From 1996- 1998, he was the chairperson of the ANCYL in the Natal Midlands, a position he served in with distinction. After completing his term, due to his leadership skills, he was re-elected into ANCYL Regional Executive Committee (REC) from 1998-2000 as well as an ANC REC member.
He was also deployed as a councillor in Ward 10 (KwaPata) of Umsunduzi Municipality from 2000-2011. At the time of his passing, Cde Mchunu was serving as a Provincial Organising Secretary of the South African National Civic Organisation SANCO Provincial Organizing Secretary.
The ANC therefore calls on the Minister of Police, Cde Bheki Cele, to urgently intervene in the impending security crisis in KwaZulu-Natal, as it is clear that there is an existing systematic plan to eliminate political leaders to sow doubt in the minds of voters in the province ahead of next year’s democratic elections.
The ANC calls on the people of this province to be calm and report incidents of violence and crime to the police that will result in perpetrators of these heinous crimes to be brought to book.
We extend our deepest condolences to the families. The ANC remains with them during these difficult and trying moments.
Issued by the African National Congress
Statement issued by Cde Pule Mabe, ANC national spokesperson, 12 May 2018
