The Speaker of the Uphongolo local municipality along the South Africa-eSwatini border in northern KwaZulu-Natal is today due to appear before the Pongola Magistrate’s Court on charges of illegal gun possession.
Kwenzakufani Nxumalo has already spent three days behind bars following his arrest over the weekend.
He was arrested shortly after leaving a meeting of his party, the IFP (Inkatha Freedom Party). The meeting was to discuss its crushing loss to the ANC and the MK Party during last week’s by-elections.
Reports indicate that police followed him and his bodyguards and stopped and searched their cars. Despite having armed bodyguards 24/7, Nxumalo was found in possession of an illegal gun.
Nxumalo is Speaker of the IFP-run municipality, he is also the principal at Mlimisi primary school at KwaShoba area. The latter is just outside the town of Pongola along the N2 on the way to Piet Retief.
According to sources close to the case, Nxumalo’s bail application would be a steep hill. This is because he has previous brushes with the law, which include assault and pointing a legal firearm to a person. However, he was never convicted in those cases.
IFP spokesperson, Mkhuleko Hlengwa (who is also the Deputy Minister for Transport), did not respond when Sunday World asked him whether or not the party would suspend Nxumalo considering that he is facing serious charges.
The ANC in the Mzala Nxumalo region (Zululand) expressed concern over the arrest of Nxumalo. It said there is a prevailing climate of peace and free political activity in OPhongolo. The party added that it does not want to see the return of any political tension and killings.
“Critically, in Zululand District in general, there are unresolved politically related murders. In this regard, the arrest of the speaker and reports of illegal and unlicensed firearms found in his possession has generated many questions. These resulted in a dark cloud hanging over his head.
“Finally, as the ANC in the region, we believe that this matter must be properly processed by the relevant authority. And elected public leaders in the council must also be properly empowered with information around this matter,” the party said in a statement.
