DA calls for maximum security for whistleblowers
29 October 2019
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in KwaZulu-Natal is distressed by a recent incident where it is was reported that Thabiso Zulu, a whistleblower and close friend to the late Sindiso Magaqa was attacked.
It is reported that Zulu sustained gunshot injuries in his arm and chest during an ambush on Saturday. Zulu played a vital role during the Moerane Commission hearings as one of the witnesses. It is disturbing that he has since had to live in fear of his life for attempting to bring justice, and bring to an end the disastrous spate of political killings in our province.
Reports also indicate that for a long time, Zulu made numerous requests for protection from the province and the Minister of Police but this fell on deaf ears.
Our greatest concern is that witnesses will no longer come forward with information which could be useful in ensuring swift arrests and successful convictions of corrupt politicians.
We are also concerned with the slow pace the Premier, Sihle Zikalala, is taking to implement the Moerane Commission’s recommendations. This multi-million rand commission was formed to establish the details behind the political killings in the province. In the 2018/19 financial year, 96% of politically related murders occurred in KwaZulu-Natal. It was therefore clear that the political bloodbath in the province was, and still is as a result of a dysfunctional and failing ANC which is rife with corruption, particularly at a local government level.
Shortly after the Moerane Commission report was made available to the public, we communicated to the then Premier Willies Mchunu to hold Corporative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC and her department accountable for what was happening at a local government level. We had also made recommendations of how they could bring an end to this senseless and unnecessary violence. Our recommendations seem to have been ignored.
The Commission report is gathering dust at Sihle Zikalala’s office. We call on him to act now to prevent further bloodshed in our province.
Issued by Zwakele Mncwango, DA KZN Leader, 29 October 2019
