Pretoria north ANC ward councillor killed in front of kids

An ANC ward councillor was shot and killed in front of her young children in a suspected hit in Winterveldt last night, Rekord North reports.

Councillor Esther Mutumane (43) of ward 19 was driving home with her three children – aged 4, 6 and 8 – when she was attacked by unknown men at around 19:30.

They were attacked by unknown men travelling in two cars, namely a white Renault Megane and a charcoal Golf 6, according to police spokesperson Sergeant Magareth Molane.

“The suspects had apparently been following Mutumane until a point where they blocked her way, got out of their cars and began shooting at her,” said Molane.

“She was shot in the head and also in the upper body. The kids were not harmed.”

The suspects then sped off. A motive behind the shooting was not yet known, but nothing was stolen in the attack, fueling speculation the shooting was a “hit”.

Mutumane was rushed to hospital, but was certified dead upon arrival.

A case of murder with aggravating circumstances had been opened.

No arrests have been made as of Thursday.

Mutumane’s killing comes after she recently told media she was living in fear after she was the target of intimidation by land grabbers in her ward.

Reportedly, the land grabbers blamed her for the demolition of their shacks by so-called “red ants”.

At the time, Mutumane said the land grabbers invaded land earmarked for residents from Lebanon, Winterveld and Slovo.

In an earlier incident, Mutumane said land grabbers demanded she reimburse them for their demolished shacks.

“They told me they’d spent about R15 000 to buy their land and shacks,” she said.

“They insulted me and two of them searched my car, took my camera and damaged my car.”

Mutumane claimed the land grabbers threatened to burn her house down if she did not give them what they wanted.