ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has expressed his concern over political violence which he says is stirred by greed.

This after the murder of Mkhambathini Local Municipality Ward 7 councillor, Mzwandile “Nganono” Shandu (40), who was gunned down in Umlazi on Wednesday after surviving three previous assassination attempts.

Shandu was driving with two other occupants in a car when he was shot multiple times. He had been the Ward 7 councillor for the past seven years and chaired the Municipal Public Accounts Committee portfolio for the current term of office.

Speaking at the Inkosi Mhlabunzima Maphumulo lecture yesterday, Mbalula noted that it is a case of ‘a comrade killing another comrade’.

Greed and corruption motive for killings

He said that hitmen are being hired to murder people in certain positions and that you can be a councillor today and dead tomorrow because of your position in office.

“The reason behind these killings is greed and corruption. One gets assassinated so that the other gets to eat. Today [Friday] we are living in a democratic country. Even if we disagree politically, that doesn’t mean we should kill each other,” he added.

Mbalula also said that the hitmen behind these killings sometimes get caught but they want to find the people who give the orders to these hitmen.

Municipality says councillor turned down bodyguards

Meanwhile, Mkhambathini Municipality has denied claims that Shandu’s assassination was a result of the municipality’s failure to provide security personnel for him.

“After the shooting incident occurred on August 20, a special council was convened by the speaker Themba Gwala where the incident was reported,” said Mkhambathini municipal manager Sanele Mngwengwe.

He added that during a meeting held on August 23, they decided to provide security to Shandu with immediate effect even though the threat analysis/assessment was not completed by the police.

“This resolution was implemented by the office of the municipal manager and two bodyguards were allocated to Shandu. A letter was sent to the police requesting a threat assessment be conducted even though the security was already allocated to Shandu.

“The service provider who was appointed by the municipality to provide the security to Shandu, confirmed that they did meet with him for the handover of all necessary tools and equipment but that Shandu took a decision not to take the security [bodyguards] indicating that he did not have a vehicle and he can’t use public transport while having bodyguards,” Mngwengwe added.

He said that Shandu did not communicate this to the office of the municipal manager.

“The municipality has received information that in the week of the assassination, Shandu was negotiating with the service provider, requesting them to give him the bodyguards he had refused to take last month.

“While the service provider was in the process of informing the municipality and arranging the handover of the bodyguards, unfortunately, Shandu was gunned down,” he added.