The murder of an ANC leader at his home in Ulundi has raised fears of escalating violence ahead of the 2014 elections.
|||Durban - The ANC branch chairman in Ulundi, Makhosonke Msibi, was shot dead in front of his family on Sunday night when a gunman entered his home and fired shots.
Police spokesman Colonel Vincent Mdunge said the motive was not known at this stage and that no arrests had been made.
He said a man knocked at the door soon after the councillor returned home from a meeting in Nongoma. His son opened the door and a man asked to see the councillor.
“The man fired shots at him when he emerged.
“He tried to run into his bedroom but it was too late… he suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was declared dead at the scene.”
Msibi, a former councillor, had just returned from the ANC’s recruitment campaign held in KwaNongoma.
Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC Nomusa Dube described Msibi as a tireless servant of the government.
“We are deeply saddened by the brutal killing of one of the committed and tireless servants in the field of local government in the province. Everyone knows that Msibi was loved by the community in his ward who always voted overwhelmingly for him at every election,” she said.
“Clearly this killing has the hallmarks of a carefully crafted plan to use intimidation and violence as a way of frustrating the will of the people. We strongly condemn the cowardly killing of our councillor Msibi,” she said.
Zululand mayor, Councillor Zanele ka Magwaza-Msibi, no relation to the dead councillor, said Msibi’s passion, liveliness and active participation would be missed.
Magwaza-Msibi appealed for calm and appealed to police for a swift arrest “for the benefit of all in the province”.
“I was with him at the weekend at the Ulundi Airshow and he was his regular bubbly self. He was so active and energetic. I did not think for a second that it was the last time I would see him alive,” she said.
“People cannot be so trigger happy, I am deeply saddened and shocked by this killing.
“Murder has never been the solution, especially now as election campaigns are about to get under way, we cannot have people (who) are frightened to express themselves,” she said.
Dube said the motive was unknown, but she was concerned that the killing of councillors was becoming a trend.
“If this cowardly use of violence was carried out with the intention to subvert the will of the people it will not succeed.
“We call upon the community to remain calm during this difficult time and allow the law to take its course,” said Dube.
sihle.mlambo@inl.co.za
Daily News