KwaZulu-Natal transport and community safety MEC Sipho Hlomuka has expressed concern over the rise in political violence in the KwaNongoma municipality following the removal of the IFP and DA leadership.
“What is worrying in Nongoma is that the trend of assassinating councillors started immediately after the coalition led by the NFP, ANC and EFF took over. When the IFP was in power, we did not see these rampant attacks and threats on councillors’ lives,” Hlomuka said.
The municipality, previously an IFP stronghold, was being governed through a coalition between the IFP, DA, and EFF after the 2021 local government elections. However, after the coalition broke down, the EFF joined forces with the ANC and NFP, leading to the removal of the IFP mayor and speaker through a vote of no confidence in February this year.
“Since the changes in the leadership of the local council, it seems clear that there is a deliberate act to force by-elections,” Hlomuka added.
Speaking at a media briefing in Mayville on Tuesday, Hlomuka discussed the department’s progress in tackling crime, especially the killings of public representatives, and the early preparations for the 2024 national elections.
He announced plans to restore political tolerance in the province before the polls, saying the provincial government would reconvene the multiparty political intervention committee to strategise on how to defuse “inter-” and “intra-” political conflict and promote democratic coexistence among political parties.
According to Hlomuka, political killings in KwaNongoma had been quiet until the change of leadership earlier this year. He cited several incidents, including the murder of NFP councillor Ntombenhle Mchunu in her home in July and the shooting of another NFP councillor, Mphathiseni Manqele, who survived an assassination attempt in August.
“After the shooting of the councillor, who survived, and the suspect was caught by the community, there was a motion of no confidence against the sitting leadership because they thought the councillor was no longer. We are human beings; the logic tells us there is a power struggle in that area,” Hlomuka said.
He praised community members for capturing the alleged hitman before police intervention prevented mob justice. “We commend the fact that the community is now vigilant and is working with the police to make sure that izinkabi hired to kill councillors are arrested,” he added.
Hlomuka revealed that there was another attack last week when criminals targeted an NFP councillor but shot her husband instead. “The four suspects were arrested with three illegal firearms and ammunition. We want to know who is behind destabilising Nongoma and why,” he said.
He clarified that he was not accusing any political party directly but noted the increase in killings since August. “We are not saying it’s the DA or IFP or anyone, but it’s very interesting that for the past 18 months, there was a coalition between these political parties, so why now?”
Along with KwaNongoma, Hlomuka mentioned eThekwini and Umkhambathini municipalities as other hotspots for political violence. He, however, expressed satisfaction with the police’s progress in tackling political killings, saying the interministerial task team had handled 321 dockets so far — 155 for murder, 51 for attempted murder, 77 for intimidation, and 12 for conspiracy to commit murder.
EFF provincial spokesperson Mazwi Blose agreed with Hlomuka’s concerns, blaming the IFP for the instability in Nongoma. He alleged that an IFP councillor’s voice note circulated after the swearing-in of the NFP mayor, threatening to reclaim the municipality, followed by Mchunu’s killing.
“We know the IFP for their violence and their history of political intolerance in the province. They feel entitled to that municipality and continue to kill our people, which is very troublesome,” Blose said.
However, IFP provincial leader Thami Ntuli criticised Hlomuka’s remarks, describing them as “reckless” and “baseless.”
“It’s unfortunate that he is making comments that can be construed as accusatory, which does not help the community in any way. Such reckless comments by a person who should be bringing solutions show a lack of leadership in the province,” Ntuli said.
He urged Hlomuka to focus on ensuring arrests and strengthening the police force instead of making public insinuations. “If he knows who did what in KwaNongoma — while leading a police portfolio — he should’ve arrested that person. He should be doing his work to arrest the criminals who are killing councillors,” Ntuli said.
