The EFF in Ekurhuleni has called for the dismissal of Sipho Mkhatshwa, one of the three men who appeared at the Mbombela magistrate’s court on Monday for the murder of Hillary Gardee.
Mkhatshwa is currently employed as the integrated development plan facilitator in the City of Ekurhuleni’s department of strategy and corporate planning.
On Monday, the ANC’s Mpumalanga legislature chief whip, Fidel Mlombo, said the arrest of an employee in his office, Philemon Lukhele, in connection with the murder of Gardee is “highly regrettable”.
Mkhatshwa, 39, appeared in court alongside Lukhele, 47, and Albert Mduduzi Gama, 52. The EFF said Mkhatshwa’s dismissal would send a strong message against the brutal abuse, harassment, and killing of women.
“It is our view that given the egregious crimes Mkhatshwa faces, his alleged violent history and the fact that he was apprehended while fleeing makes a case for the City of Ekurhuleni to release him from his duties,” said Nkululeko Dunga, EFF regional chairperson.
The EFF stated further that it would hold discussions with the MMC for cooperate and shared services, and human resources’ head of department in the City of Ekurhuleni to demand Mkhatshwa’s immediate dismissal.
Hillary, the daughter of former EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee, was kidnapped while shopping in Mbombela with her adopted three-year-old child two weeks ago. The child was later found unharmed near the family home.
Hillary’s body was discovered in a veld outside Nelspruit by a group of people on their way to work last Tuesday. She had sustained a gunshot wound to the head and was laid to rest at the weekend.
The suspects allegedly involved in the murder abandoned their bail application when they appeared in court on Monday and the case was postponed to June 9 for further investigation.
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