AbaQulusi councillor gunned down

AbaQulusi municipality is reeling from shock over the cold-blooded killing of a councillor who was gunned down last week.

IFP Ward 3 councillor, Alson Nkosi, was fired at repeatedly while travelling in his car with three passengers on Thursday.

Cllr Nkosi had been returning home with his friend, James Masondo, and James’ two sons, Siyanda and Nqubeko, from a family function in Zwathi at about 7pm, when men standing alongside the road, fired several shots at the vehicle. Cllr Nkosi, subsequently, lost control of the vehicle, which rolled down an embankment before coming to a standstill.

Siyanda (17), passed away on the scene, Cllr Nkosi died later the same day at the Vryheid Hospital, James, who was seated on the front passenger seat, is currently at Grey’s Hospital with serious injuries, and Nqubeko, was fortunate to only sustain minor injuries to the head and back.

Nqubeko said he saw two men standing alongside the road firing guns and he can’t remember anything else that happened until the car came to a standstill and he realised that his brother, seated next to him, had died. “I was able to get out of the car and call for help. By then, the men that fired the shots had disappeared and I was feeling shocked and confused,” said Nqubeko.

Chairperson of the IFP for the AbaQulusi constituency, Michael Khumalo, says he is certain that the shooting had nothing to do with politics or the upcoming elections, and said he suspected the murders might have been motivated by a land dispute in the ‘East-mine’ area.

“In the Vryheid area, there are no problems between politicians. We are campaigning in peace and we haven’t had any incidents of political violence. Cllr Nkosi was not even a candidate in the upcoming elections,” said Mr Khumalo. “The IFP would like to pass its condolences to the family, neighbours and friends of the deceased. We also want to urge the community to calm down and wait for the police to do their jobs and bring the guilty party to justice.”

Mayor Patience Khaba described the incident as, “terrifying and very sad.”

“Cllr Nkosi was very young and it is shocking that he passed away so soon. My condolences go out to his family, his colleagues at the municipality, and to the IFP, for losing a great leader,” said Cllr Khaba.

Speaker of the council, Mabutho Mtshali, also offered condolences and described Cllr Nkosi as, “a gentleman, and a humble councillor who obeyed the rules of order in council.”

“I worked well with him over the past five years. Despite being from different parties, at the municipality, we are all councillors who serve AbaQulusi. I regard my fellow councillors as my brothers and I would like to offer my sincere condolences to the IFP component of the council. I hope the law will take its course,” said Cllr Mtshali.

Cllr Mtshali added that Cllr Nkosi was the fourth councillor that AbaQulusi has lost this year. Ward 15 councillor, Cllr Mncube, passed away in a collision, ward 13 councillor, Cllr Nkohla, passed away from natural causes, and PR councillor for ward 7, Cllr Hadebe, passed away from illness.

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