Zanele Mbhamali and her husband were left fighting for their lives after a hail of gunfire struck their vehicle.
Picture: iStock
The KwaZulu‑Natal (KZN) Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) has made a breakthrough in the attempted assassination of MK party Ilembe District Secretary Zanele Mbhamali after a hail of gunfire left her and her husband fighting for their lives on a rural road outside Ndwedwe.
The PKTT handcuffed the 27-year-old suspect in connection with the attempted murder of Mbhamali and her husband over the weekend.
Court
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the suspect has made a first appearance in court.
“The suspect, Velile Ntshangase from Mahlabathini, appeared before the Ndwedwe District Court on 27 July 2026 on two counts of attempted murder. The matter was remanded to 3 August 2026 for the accused to secure legal representation.”
The arrest follows an incident that occurred on 23 June 2026 at approximately 10:30am.
It is alleged that Mbhamali and her husband were travelling home along Road P100 towards Ndwedwe when unknown suspects opened fire on their vehicle.
Murder
Mathe said Members of the KZN PKTT received the docket on 10 July 2026 and immediately commenced investigations, which led to the arrest of Ntshangase.
“Further investigations revealed that a second suspect linked to the case was shot and killed by unknown assailants at his residence on 29 June 2026 after returning home from work.”
Investigations into that incident are ongoing.
Mass shooting
Meanwhile, four men were gunned down and four others wounded, including two police officers, in a brazen mass shooting in the Western Cape.
The shooting occurred in Kayamandi, Stellenbosch, on Sunday evening, sparking a major investigation by the provincial serious and violent crime unit.
Police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut said detectives are investigating four counts of murder and four counts of attempted murder.
