Cold-blooded killing of members rocks leading party

A high-level investigation was launched by Police after the cold-blooded killing of two African National Congress (ANC) members in Mokopane on Tuesday afternoon.
ANC Limpopo Provincial Secretary Soviet Lekganyane in a statement identified the two members as Sanny Valtyn Kekana, Chairperson of the Mogalakwena municipal public accounts committee and Ralf Kanyane, Ward 10 Branch Secretary of the party’s Mogalakwena Sub Region.
“These comrades were amongst the finest in our ranks, they were committed to the revolutionary agenda of the ANC to make lives of the ordinary and downtrodden better. This is a commitment they lived with their entire lives, a commitment they died with,” the statement read.
Lekganyane further indicated that whilst the motive for the murders was still being investigated, the ANC had observed a shocking increase in the shooting and killing of their members over the past 12 months, making it difficult for the ANC not to believe the motives to be of a political nature.
“As the ANC we are deeply concerned about this worrying trend and would like to make it known that we will not sit idly and watch our members being wiped out senselessly, we will become more active in protecting our members,” Lekganyane said.
He remarked that the ANC is aware that this has become an emotive issue amongst members and have called for calm and restraint as law enforcement agencies continue with investigations. “We call on the investigating team assembled to speedily arrest and bring the murderer to justice. Members of the community are requested to assist the Police with information that may lead to the arrest and prosecution of the murderer,” he added.
Provincial Police Communications Head Motlafela Mojapelo indicated that the incident happened at about 13:45 when two men seated in a vehicle were approached by a suspect who then opened fire at point blank range fatally injuring both.
The suspect allegedly fled on foot. Both victims were certified dead on the scene and two cases of murder are being investigated.
Provincial Police Commissioner Nneke Ledwaba has instructed that the suspect(s) must be urgently hunted down and brought to book.
The motive for the killing is still unknown.
Anyone with information can contact investigating officers Richard Boshomane on 079 894 5501 or Marcus Mofya on 078 817 8012 or report to the nearest Police station.
In November last year ANC ward councillor in the Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality, Thabang Maupa was gunned down while locking up his restaurant for the day. His killing was followed by the alleged murder of Deputy Secretary of the South African Municipal Workers’ Union in Limpopo, Roland Mani as well as its former Limpopo Chairperson, Timson Tshililo earlier this year. Both incidents occurred in the Thohoyandou area.

Story: RC Myburgh
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