MBOMBELA – The ANC in the province said it is premature to think that the recent killing of one of its members, Mr Michael Zane Phelembe, is politically motivated.
Phelembe was a deputy chairperson of the party’s ward 23 in Pienaar.
The party’s secretary, Mr Mandla Ndlovu, briefed the media on Thursday regarding the party’s readiness to launch it’s local government elections manifesto on Sunday, June 5.
Phelembe was gunned down on Friday night just outside his home in Pienaar. He is said to have been shot once on the head and the perpetrators fled the scene.
His family heard the gunshot and rushed to the gate where they found him lying down and immediately rushed him to the clinic.
Pelembe’s friend, Mr Jealous Nyalunga, described him as a selfless leader who stood for principles, which his political enemies clearly did not like.
Ndlovu told journalists that it was unfortunate that every killing in the province that involved a political leader is immediately described as a political killing.
“We must give space to the police to look for the perpetrators and bring them to book. speculating will not assist,”Ndlovu said. He also added that the party was affected by the passing of the member.
The party will hold it’s manifesto launch on Sunday and it said it will fill the 43 000 capacity Mbombela Stadium. “We have allocated more than one thousand buses to transport our members across the province and we are positive that we will fill the venue,” Ndlovu said.
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