Political killings: Cele’s task team to tackle provinces

A national police task team that successfully investigated political killings in KwaZulu-Natal could zoom in on the recent political murders in Mpumalanga and spread its wings to other provinces where rival political factions are involved in assassinations.

Task team

Police Minister Bheki Cele set up the task team in 2018 to probe political killing in KZN and it had many successes, including several convictions.

Police spokesperson Lirandzu Themba said there were plans to increase the scope of the task team to other provinces.

“This will be done following proper analysis and need,” she said.

“Right now, there has been a direction to have national investigators assist in the murders in Piet Retief, Mpumalanga.

“The [department] is sure that through intervention of a specialised team to zone in on such killings, which are often complex, there will be arrests and a strong message sent to those who order hits to eliminate their political opponents.”

This after armed men, who had since been arrested, shot and killed councillor Sbonelo Ntshangase (36) – also known as Sbonelo Mthembu – Sandile Khumalo (51) and Sizwe Mbingo (40). The trio were gunned down on the evening of Friday, 13 January, at Longhomes township in Piet Retief.

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Suspects arrested

Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said an investigating team arrested two suspects, aged 43 and 52, in connection with the fatal shootings.

The men reportedly fired multiple shots at Ntshangase, who was in the yard with Khumalo, while Mbingo was shot inside a bakkie and died at the scene.

Khumalo died on arrival in hospital while Ntshangase succumbed to his injuries moments later. The team, led by Mpumalanga police commissioner Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Manamela, arrested the suspects on Monday and confiscated an automatic rifle with ammunition and several other unlicensed firearms.

They are charged with possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition and could face charges relating to the fatal shootings of Ntshangase, Khumalo and Mbingo.

Court appearance

They were due to appear in the Piet Retief Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Political killings have been on the rise in Mpumalanga, mostly with no arrests made.

The shooting of Shangase added to a rising trend in political murders involving ANC members in the province.

With intense factionalism among ANC members in the province, it has become common to see members and councillors being targeted for shootings in power battles between rivals.

Rivalry

Usually rivals attack members who pose a threat to their political power. Shangase was the second prominent ANC member to be murdered in the Mkhonto region in the past two months.

The motive for his killing is not yet officially known but is believed to be linked to the ongoing factionalism within the ruling party.

The Pienaar, Nelspruit region is the hardest hit by political violence. Many ANC branches could not attend the ANC national conference at Nasrec last December because of violent interruption of branch general meetings by opponents who attacked them.

READ MORE: At least 145 cases of political killings on record in KwaZulu-Natal

– ericn@citizen.co.za