Barely two months after an EFF PR councillor Moshe Mphahlele was laid to rest after he was shot and killed in Sankopano in Alexandra during a service delivery protest, an attempted “assassination” has rocked the party.
In a chilling incident, EFF Gauteng Chairperson Nkululeko Dunga survived an alleged attempted “assassination” at his family home in Ekurhuleni early Wednesday morning.
The attack occurred around midnight when suspicious footsteps were heard on the roof, prompting Dunga’s son to request a security check.
Dunga had not yet commented on the alleged hit; however, Mgcini Tshwaku, the City of Joburg’s MMC for Public Safety, stated that Dunga and his family were unharmed.
Tshwaku confirmed that he had in his possession video footage of the incident and had handed it over to police for further investigation, because this was an “execution attempt”.
“I have received the footage of the incident and it has been submitted to the forensics and the police for further investigation… Yes indeed this was an execution attempt. The guys were there to execute him but by the grace of God, that did not happen,” Tshwaku said.
He further stated that the alleged assailants were carrying high calibre rifles.
He said: “At 12 O’clock midnight, the chairperson of the EFF was with his family, the wife and the kids and also the grandparents… They started hearing footsteps on the roof. It seemed like there were people on the roof moving up and down but he thought that it was a bird.”
He added that at 2am, security personnel conducting their rounds were ambushed and shot at by armed intruders on the roof. The security guard returned fire, engaging with at least three shooters before eight heavily armed assailants fled the scene by jumping over the wall.
The EFF confirmed that no lives were lost during the incident. The police responded promptly, investigating the scene until 10am on the following day.
The statement further said bullet holes were identified, forensic teams gathered evidence, and fingerprints were collected.
“The EFF commends the police for their diligence but emphasises the need to acknowledge the broader context of escalating political violence and lawlessness in SA.”
The party further said the attempted assassination was part of a disturbing trend of violence targeting political figures and whistleblowers across the country.
They called for an urgent and thorough investigation into this incident, with a case opened at Mondeor Police Station under case number 35/10/2024.
The party demands swift justice for the perpetrators and stands firmly behind Dunga, his family, and all those who bravely speak truth to power despite the grave danger they face.
“The EFF will not be intimidated. We stand firmly behind our Gauteng chairperson, his family, and every fighter who continues to speak truth to power in the face of grave danger,” read the statement.
Dunga made headlines ealier this year in what was seen as a surprise move when he was removed as MMC for finance in Ekurhuleni.
The mayor, Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, had initially announced the decision was made amidst “unforeseen misalignments” and a tumultuous period for the city’s finances, which had been on a downward trajectory for over a year under Dunga’s leadership.
As the head of the R51.2 billion budget, Dunga’s tenure was marked by challenges.
The controversy surrounded the council’s failure to pass a budget for the 2023/24 financial year within the 30-day deadline.
Infighting between the ANC and EFF, who co-govern the city with other smaller parties, had been cited as the primary reason for the delay at the time.
The Star