An IFP councillor has been shot and killed in a senseless murder that also claimed the lives of two young pupils.
Ndukendle Duma, a councillor at the Nongoma local municipality in the north of KwaZulu-Natal, was ambushed after his vehicle broke down on the R618 near Mtubatuba.
Armed assassins who appeared out of nowhere shot and killed Duma, who was allegedly on his way to a council meeting.
After killing Duma, the gunmen shot at a passing minibus, which was transporting pupils home from school.
Schoolchildren also killed in the attack
Two pupils between the ages of 11 and 12 passed away, and the other two are in the hospital fighting for their lives.
A manhunt has been initiated, according to Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the national police spokesperson.
“The national task force responsible for investigating political killings has been allocated to the case,” Mathe said on Thursday morning.
“We also call upon members of the community with information on this incident to come forward and assist police investigations.”
Police Minister Bheki Cele revealed during the release of the crime statistics for KwaZulu-Natal in Durban in 2023 that close to 200 political officeholders and councillors have been assassinated in the province between 2011 and September 2023.
The Nongoma local municipality, which falls under the Zululand district, has also seen its fair share of political killings, with political foes resorting to settling their differences through the barrel of the gun.
Assassinations continue unabated
Several months ago, assailants killed Ntombenhle Mchunu, an NFP ward councillor, inside her home. A child was also injured in the attack.
A coalition between the NFP, ANC, and EFF is in charge of the Nongoma council.
Reacting to the murder of Duma, his party said: “We mourn the loss of another IFP servant leader.
“While full details about what exactly transpired are not yet available, it is deeply concerning that political assassinations continue unabated in KwaZulu-Natal.”
