Following a shooting outside a pub in Hebron on Monday morning, police in the North West are investigating two counts of murder, including that of an employee working in ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula’s office.
Three other people were injured in the shooting. One of the slain victims is Keletile “Kelly” Mathatha, a staffer in the office of Mbalula.
Police are investigating two counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder, according to North-West police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone.
“According to information, the victims were about to leave the pub at approximately 1am when a white Mercedes-Benz approached their white Toyota Corolla,” said Mokgwabone.
Two victims died at the scene
“The occupants of the Mercedes-Benz then shot at the victims. The two victims, aged 34 and 40, died instantly at the scene, while the other three sustained injuries.”
No arrests have been made, and the police in Hebron are investigating the motive for the shooting.
Mbalula took to X (formerly known as Twitter) on Monday night and wrote: “I am hurt today. They killed my daughter. I am hurt.”
He later wrote: “This is my daughter working in my office. Kelly was working in my office in the secretary-general’s office; she was killed today.”
When contacted for comment, Mbalula said Mathatha worked as a membership officer at Luthuli House, the ANC headquarters in Johannesburg.
Hardworking member of staff
Mbalula, who described Mathatha as an “active, lively, and hardworking” person, said she started working at Luthuli House in 2023.
“She was loyal to the ANC. What happened is sad and shocking,” he said.
“It looks like there is an ongoing occurrence in big townships where people who are sitting together in groups are shot at randomly.”
Asked about the possible motive for the shooting, Mbalula declined to comment.
“The police are better off investigating. We [as the ANC] would not know [the motive].”
