ACTIONSA provincial leader Zwakele Mncwango said that acts of violence and intimidation will not deter the party from launching a branch in Ward 25 of eThekwini, as they prepare for the Local Government Elections in 2026.

Mncwango was speaking outside the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday following the first court appearance of Xolani Morgan Hadebe, the man accused of opening fire during an ActionSA rally on Sunday in Kennedy Road. Mncwango and party leader Herman Mashaba were due to attend the launch which has since been postponed.

It is alleged that before they could reach the venue, Hadebe arrived in a minibus taxi and opened fire, sending attendees ducking for cover. He was overpowered by party members who disarmed him and took him to Sydenham police station where he was detained until his first appearance before court.

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He said Hadebe, who told the court that he is a scholar transport driver, was allegedly a known criminal in the area. “We are really concerned, especially because our party president was due to attend the event, anything could have happened,” said Mncwango as he called on other political parties to condemn the act and denounce political intolerance in the province.

He said, “We are worried that there are people like this, who do not understand democracy. I don’t care which party he belongs to, but he must allow us to campaign in the area. As ActionSA we must be allowed to campaign freely in any parts of KwaZulu-Natal. We appeal to other parties to talk to their members and calm them down before the elections. We do not want to see such cases, where people are being killed for their political choices.”

Meanwhile in courtroom 12, a softly spoken Hadebe told the Magistrate Ntokozo Myeni that he would not need the services of a legal representative as he will be representing himself. He faces two counts, one of pointing a firearm and the other of discharging a firearm in a public area. He was advised against the move “due to the serious nature of the charges”, but Hadebe stood firm in the dock, insisting on representing himself. As the State prosecutor, Seema Reddy, read the charges against Hadebe, she revealed to the court that the accused was once arrested in 2015.

Hadebe was remanded back into custody and will reappear in court on June 24 for bail application. “We are hoping that he is not granted bail because our members are scared. Releasing him will put their lives in danger, he is a criminal,” said Mncwango.

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