Slain businessman and activist remembered
This all relates to the 2016 murder of Wandile Ngubeni, the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) official. Police Minister Bheki Cele, said Newcastle was getting ungovernable.
The family of slain businessman and activist, Martin Sithole, were visibly grief-stricken at his memorial service, which was held at Fairleigh Community Hall on May 16.
Sithole and his friend, Principal, Buthanani Shange were shot and killed outside Sithole’s shop, Oribi Bottle Store on Voortrekker Street, on May 12.
At the memorial service was Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, who had assigned a task team to investigate KwaZulu-Natal political killings.
Sithole was suspected to be a witness in a murder case, in which current Newcastle Mayor, Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba was implicated.
This all relates to the 2016 murder of Wandile Ngubeni, the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) official.
Police Minister Bheki Cele, said Newcastle was getting ungovernable.
“There’s this ungovernable trend that’s happening here in this region, and we’re watching it. We won’t leave it alone. Listening to this young girl, you will realize that somebody somewhere doesn’t realize the damage they have done. Now we must come here and witness this damage, and try to live with this damage. We are expected to live with this thing.”
Cele added that the perpetrators of this crime don’t have any conscience.
“There is one thing that makes you different from any other mammal, it’s your conscience. Once you remove that, you are no different to an animal, and there are people who behave like animals. There are people who get bail after bail after bail after bail. This bail doesn’t even take you home to rest and wait, it’s one thing after another. I think from the side of government, especially the side of the Cluster, we must go and talk about these things. We must all sit down and talk about how we are going to protect our people and catch these criminals.”
Sithole’s daughter, Khanyo Sithole, gave an emotional tribute to her father.
“I don’t know what to say. I never thought I would lose my dad so soon. He was such a special person. We would sing in the car and I was convinced he would see me graduate. To be honest, I will never recover from this tragedy, but we must move on. We can only be grateful he was with us for all this time. There’s nothing my dad wouldn’t do for me, even though sometimes he was struggling, but he always came through for me. From now on, I just hope God keeps us and my mom safe.”
Sithole was laid to rest on May 18, in his home town of Escourt, where his funeral was attended by top ANC delegates, including ANC Provincial Chairperson Sihle Zikalala, newly elected Member of Parliament, Makhosini Nkosi and ANCYL Chairperson in the Emalahleni region, Mafika Mndebele.
The Newcastle Advertiser extends their condolences to the Sithole and Shange family at this difficult time.
ALSO READ: Bheki Cele says Sithole’s killers have no conscience
UPDATE: Police Minister in Newcastle for Martin Sithole’s memorial service
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