Paranoia and mistrust in the Newcastle local municipality have come to the fore following a foiled attempt to assassinate deputy mayor Musa Thwala on Monday night.
Councillors who spoke to Sunday World said they were forced to look over their shoulders fearing they would fall prey to hitmen.
“It’s an open secret that since the municipality fell into the hands of the opposition, those who had benefited in the previous administration are using every trick available to force by-elections. Some of us are hiring private individuals to follow us around when we consult with communities. This is a costly exercise but you only live once,” said Zamani Khaba, one of the aggrieved independent councillors.
KwaZulu-Natal’s Amajuba district municipality, which comprises the three local municipalities of eMadlangeni, Dannhauser and Newcastle, has seen a surge in politically motivated killings recently.
District speaker and IFP councillor Reginald Ndima was the first victim when he was ambushed and shot dead near his home in January by unknown gunmen.
On Monday, Thwala got off lucky when alleged assassins were stopped in their tracks by his bodyguards at his Madadeni township home.
Upon realising that their alleged plan had been foiled, the hitmen opened fire at the bodyguards who retaliated, injuring one of the suspects.
During the shoot-out, one of Thwala’s bodyguards was severely injured and died on Tuesday in hospital.
Thwala, known as Shukela in political circles, is a former regional leader of the EFF. He left to form Team Sugar Party SA, in the lead-up to the 2021 local government elections in November. The party won seven seats and subsequently became king-
maker.
It later joined forces with the IFP to take control of the municipality that was previously run by the ANC.
It is widely believed that Thwala, who chairs the key municipal technical services committee, is being targeted because he is viewed as a corruption buster.
Some councillors are said to have resorted to refusing bottled water during council meetings, fearing poisoning.
Joseph Thusi, a DA councillor and chairperson of the municipal public account committee in Amajuba district, said he had to constantly look over his shoulder after receiving anonymous death threats.
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