POLITICAL parties across the board have reacted with shock at the killing of an African National Congress PR councillor who was shot dead and his wife seriously wounded by an unknown gunman.
Nongoma Ward 10 councillor, Thami Nyembe and his wife were gunned down while travelling along the Maphophoma Road outside Nongoma last Sunday evening.
According to police spokeswoman Lieutenant Nqobile Gwala, Nyembe’s wife is in a critical condition in hospital and Nongoma police are investigating a case of murder and attempted murder.
In an ANC statement, spokesman Mdumiseni Ntuli said, ‘While the details of Cde Nyembe’s killing are still sketchy at this stage, the manner in which the attack was carried out raises strong questions about the killing being premeditated.
‘In the 2011 local government elections, Nyembe, who was then a member of the Inkatha Freedom Party, won Ward 10, with 54 percent of the vote.
‘In 2013 he jumped ship and joined the ruling ANC and in a subsequent by-election on 23 October 2013, the National Freedom Party claimed the ward with a three vote margin over Nyembe.’
The NFP had split from the Inkatha Feedom Party three months before the 2011 local government elections.
Nyembe is the second ANC councillor to be killed in as many months, with councillor Zodwa Sibiya being killed in Durban’s notorious Glebelands Hostels last month.
Reaction
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube has expressed shock at the killing.
She has called on the police to swiftly apprehend the perpetrators so as to help promote political stability, especially as the 2016 local government elections take place in three months’ time.
The Democratic Aliance’s KZN leader, Zwakele Mncwango said the party extended condolences to Nyembe’s family, friends and colleagues.
‘Killing of public representatives is becoming a trend in KZN.
‘We call on the police and to move swiftly to apprehend the perpetrators,’ said Mncwango.
‘The Multi Party task team is currently meeting to discuss how such killings can be prevented in the run-up to the upcoming local government elections.’
More police deployed
This attack follows the announcement by KZN MEC for Community Safety and Liaison, Willies Mchunu that 70 police personnel are being brought into the province to address the ongoing violence in at the hostels in KwaMashu and Glebelands.
Blessed Gwala of the IFP has welcomed this response from the MEC saying, ‘We have been raising our concerns about the killing of innocent people especially at the hostels for many years, but the killings continued.’
Referring to the Nyembe shooting he said, ‘Just yesterday Cllr Bhekithemba Goodwill Nyembe of Nongoma was shot dead and his wife seriously wounded.
‘This sort of callous and cold-blooded killing must stop and we have confidence that with the assistance of the additional police personnel, our province will experience peace.
‘We appeal to the Nongoma community and anyone who has information to assist the police in apprehending the killers of Cllr Nyembe.
‘We convey our deepest sympathies to the Nyembe Family and the ANC on the death of Cllr Nyembe who was once a member of the IFP’, said Gwala.
