EFF councillor candidate found dead in Pietermaritzburg

“If this incident is politically motivated, it’s enough. People cannot die like this just for positions.”

These were the words of the distraught Shangase family whose son was brutally murdered in Harewood in Caluza, Pietermaritzburg on Sunday afternoon, October 17.

According to Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo, the Kwanyamazane resident was returning from an EFF campaign meeting in Dambula in Harewood when he was killed. Naidoo said the motive for the killing has not yet been established.

Capital Newspapers gathered that, after the meeting Shangase went to Harewood to give a woman an EFF t-shirt. After the woman left, he went behind the building to relieve himself. While he was there, two gunshots were heard.

Shangase’s niece, Nonjabulo Sokhela, said she received a call and rushed to the scene where she found her uncle’s lifeless body.

“We are traumatised and devastated by this incident as we don’t know what and how this happened. We heard that he went on a meeting which was held in Dambula and from there he went to meet a woman. We don’t know if he had enemies. He was a person who had jokes and loved his family. His wife died in December and they had eight children. We appeal to the police to handle this matter accordingly and find these criminals,” said Sokhela.

The deceased’s aunt, Thembani Shangase, said they want the police to do a thorough investigation.

“We want the perpetrators to rot in jailed. It is the first time in this family we have a member who died by a weapon,” she said.

Shangase’s sister, Jabulile Sokhela, said they were shocked.

EFF MP Mathapelo Siwisa said they don’t condone political killings. “We believe in free and fair campaigning and allowing all parties to be given the platform and do their work without being afraid of being killed. He was a very vibrant guy. In 2016, he also competed and gave the other party some tough times. That is why we are labelling it as a political killing. This was his second round being our councillor candidate. We want to assure people from this ward that we going to work in his honour,” she said.

Brigadier Naidoo said they have mobilised the 72-hour Activation Plan which entails the mobilisation of specialised units such as Crime Intelligence, the KZN Political Task Team, Detectives and DPCI to ensure that evidence, intelligence and information, which can help track and arrest those responsible, is gathered.

“In the meantime, we are appealing to anyone with information to please contact the SAPS on the SAPS CrimeStop number 086 00 10111 or via the MySAPSApp. Informers may remain anonymous and all information will be treated with strictest confidence,” he said.