African National Congress (ANC) councillor Mzwandile Shandu is the latest victim of political killings in KwaZulu-Natal after he was gunned down on Wednesday.
Shandu was a councillor in Ward 7 under Mkhambathini Local Municipality.
According to the regional spokesperson, Njabulo Mtolo, the details surrounding the shooting are still a bit sketchy.
His death comes after he survived an assassination attempt in August when he was attending a ceremony held at the KwaMahleka location in Mbumbulu.
"It is very unfortunate that this incident took place just a few weeks after there was a failed attempt on his life. Also, just a few weeks after yet another ANC Councillor, Comrade Mubhungu Mkhize, was brutally killed,’’ said Mtolo.
Mtolo said the party was taken aback by the killings.
"We bank all our hopes on law enforcement agencies that they will work around the clock to ensure prompt arrest of the perpetrators. Our sincerest sympathy goes to the bereaved family, comrades, friends, and colleagues," he added.
Last month, Police Minister Bheki Cele said that the investigations of the political killings by the task team has revealed that the most affected political parties are the ANC, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), and the National Freedom Party (NFP).
"Of the 52 murder cases of councillors, 31 ANC councillors were killed, while 14 were from the IFP. The NFP lost four of its councillors, while the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) lost two and one, respectively. While 52 councillors have been gunned down since 2011 to date. Alarmingly, 103 officials working within municipalities as political office bearers and officials in political offices were killed."
He said that violent competition between business forums over community development projects or tenders was noted as a possible motive for most killings.
According to Cele, since the implementation of an integrated multi-disciplinary investigation approach by the task team, eight of KZN’s eleven regions have stabilised.
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