By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) chief whip Nhlalayenza Ndlovu in uMngeni Municipality dies after being shot by three unidentified assailants.
The party released a statement confirming the passing of Ndlovu. While the motive of his death is unknown.
DA KZN provincial leader Francois Rodgers described Ndlovu as a “humble servant who always put the needs of those he served above his own. He will be sorely missed.”
In the party’s statement, Rodgers urged police to bring Ndlovu’s killers to book “without delay”.
“The DA sends its heartfelt condolences to the family of councillor Ndlovu, the DA caucus in uMngeni and the residents of the municipality,” he added.
uMngeni Mayor, Chris Pappas, described Ndlovu as “a great servant of the people who gave selflessly to the people of uMngeni and Mpofana.”
“Please keep his wife and small children in your thoughts and prayers. We will update the public as more information becomes available,”Pappas said.
More than 300 cases have been investigated since July 2018 by the multidisciplinary police task team investigating political killings in KwaZulu-Natal, including 155 murders.
Murder cases reported before the 2016 and 2021 municipal elections were mainly as a result of fighting over councillor positions.
Most murder cases reported after the 2016 and 2021 elections were associated with infighting in structures and municipalities over positions.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, has urged police to act swiftly to arrest the criminals behind the murder of Ndlovu.
The Premier said this was yet another incident of violence shining the spotlight on the killing of political leaders in the province.
“We simply will not allow our province to become a killing field, especially of politicians and traditional leaders. This is a direct attack on the centre that holds our communities together which should serve as the last defence of all the people of our province.
“Those elected should be allowed the space and time to govern following elections. Attacks on politicians are invariably an attack on the very institutions which hold our democracy together, and should never be countenanced,” Dube-Ncube said.
Ndlovu’s murder comes after Police Minister Bheki Cele released a report of the Inter-Ministerial Committee tasked to probe all political killings in KwaZulu-Natal in September, which reported major advances against this phenomenon.
Given the arrests reported by the police, the Premier said government is making progress in ensuring that the perpetrators of political and traditional leaders end up behind bars.
“As we send our condolences to the family of Councillor Ndlovu, we want to state that we have no doubt that the KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, and his team will ensure that no stone is left unturned to locate the killers.
“As we go into the festive season holidays, we also wish to sound a stern warning to all criminals that there will be no place to hide, as all organs of the State working together with all the law-abiding members of our communities, will continue to narrow the space for all forms of criminality in order to make our province a safer place to live in,” Dube-Ncube said.
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Bongi Sithole-Moloi said it was disappointing that incidents of killing democratically-elected councillors continues to occur.
“As a department, we condemn violence in the strongest possible terms as we strive for stability and peace in all our councils, and it is always a matter of great concern when a ward councillor is killed in this manner, instilling fear in the public and fellow councillors.
“We call upon the public members or anyone who may have information that could lead to the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators to work with the police to seek justice for councillor Ndlovu.