By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Reginald Ndima, the Speaker of the Amajuba District Council,was shot dead outside his home in Newcastle, in KwaZulu-Natal.
By the time Ndima arrived at the hospital, he had succumbed to his wounds.
A statement released by the district said the mayor and the entire leadership of the Amajuba District Municipality were in consultation with the family to gather all the necessary details.
“Ndima was one of the longest-serving councillors,” the district’s mayor, Vuselwa Bam said .
“Ndima will be remembered as someone who shared his knowledge with younger councillors and who worked tirelessly for the people of the district, Bam said.
My deepest sympathies go out to the family of the deceased, people of Amajuba District, the Amajuba District Municipality and all those who were close to councillor Ndima. May God give you the comfort and peace that you seek and may the soul of your loved one rest in peace,” said Bam.
Bam has called on law enforcement agencies to speedily bring the perpetrators to book. Ndima was recently elected as the Speaker of the council in the district’s inaugural and first council meeting held on November 30.
He was described as a humble person by the IFP’s spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa.
“Councillor Ndima was a humble and responsible servant of the people who diligently dedicated his life to public service,” Hlengwa said.
It is with sadness & shock that the IFP announces the tragic news that Member of the IFP National Council and Speaker of the AmaJuba District Municipality, Cllr Reginald Bhekumndeni Ndima (58), was shot and killed by unknown assailants last night, as he was arriving at his home. pic.twitter.com/Ny36kBfzdN
— Mkhuleko Hlengwa MP #?? #? (@MkhulekoHlengwa) January 29, 2022
The IFP also said it was concerned about the continued killing of public representatives without justice ever being served.
Meanwhile the Chairperson of the Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Water and Sanitation, China Dodovu, says the political killings in KwaZulu-Natal has long reached crisis proportions and require a multifaceted approach to be stopped.
Dodovu condemned the continuing killing of councillors.
“The continued killing of councillors, with the recent murder of Councillor Minenhle Mkhize and Councillor Reginald Ndima is unacceptable. Furthermore, the inability of the law enforcement agencies to prosecute the perpetrators and masterminds behind the murders encourages them to continue to commit these heinous acts,” Dodovu said.
Dodovu said that effective investigation and eventual prosecution of perpetrators, and instigators is the first step in the fight against the killings.
“For this to happen, the South African Police Service must strengthen its intelligence-gathering apparatus in order to detect the planned killings before they happen. Secondly, the Moerane Commission heard evidence that some of those cases were predicated on flagrant grounds to hide and perpetuate corrupt tendencies within the local government sector.
“It is for this reason that the fight against corruption should be strengthened and heightened. The society should invest its energies in exposing corruption to ensure that corrupt elements who have the temerity to kill in the sector are removed,” Dodovu said.
Dodovu also underscored a need for effective political education to end the deepening culture of intolerance, violence and killings in the province.
“This worrying culture of violence requires a continuous and concerted effort to end it. It is unacceptable that people are killed with such impunity.”
The Chairperson has extended the committee’s heartfelt condolences to the Mkhize and Ndima families and their relatives.
During its first ordinary meeting for the year last week, the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Executive Council approved the establishment of new Community Safety Intervention Units, which will conduct security analysis related to any incident, threat or instability; and engage law-enforcement to facilitate appropriate deployment and investigation, amongst others.