South Coast killing fields – 8 politicians gunned down since 2012
The police minister, Bheki Cele, together with members of the Hawks, Crime Intelligence and the Provincial Task Team held a four-hour meeting at Margate Police Station on Tuesday this week.
Police minister Bheki Cele wants members of the police who fail to do their jobs to be given the boot.
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Speaking in Margate earlier this week, following the murder of ANC branch member Sifiso Cele on Monday, the minister said he was ’embarrassed’ and ‘unhappy’ that no arrests had been made for political murders on the South Coast.dating back as far as 2012.
He accused law enforcement of ‘sleeping on the job’ and said he would not ‘stand by with folded arms while his people were being killed’.
Mziwamadoda Ncane was shot dead in 2015.
The minister, together with members of the Hawks, Crime Intelligence and the Provincial Task Team held a four-hour meeting at Margate Police Station on Tuesday this week.
The progress towards solving the recent political murders on the coast formed part of the agenda.
“I’m not going to hide the fact that I am not happy about the way these cases are being handled. This is unacceptable, and police need to wake up and do their jobs,” he said.
In just two weeks, two ANC branch leaders from Oshabeni had been shot dead in two separate incidents, bringing to eight the number of unsolved, politically-motivated assassinations since 2012.
Nombuso Mqadi (54) was gunned down at her home in Oshabeni and later died at a Port Shepstone hospital while Sifiso Cele (42) died at his partner’s house in Margate after being shot four times.
Minister Cele said he had no doubt the killings were politically motivated.
The families of the slain leaders said they were starting to lose faith in the justice system as, to date, no one had been convicted of the killings.
* In 2012, ANC chief whip at the then Hibiscus Coast Municipality, Wandile Mkhize and ANC member Ntsholi Shabane were shot dead outside Mr Mkhize’s home in Manaba.
* In July 2015, regional executive member Mlungisi Ngcobo was shot dead in a drive-by shooting in Oslo Beach.
* In October 2015, ANC councillor Mzwandile Ncwane was shot dead at his home in Maizeland, Umzinto.
* In July 2016, Harding ward one ANC election candidate Bongani Skhosana was gunned down in front of his wife at his Santombe homestead.
* In November 2016, ANC PR councillor Thembinkosi Zoleka was murdered at his Margate extension 3 home.
* In December 2016, Harding councillor Alwyn Ace Houston was killed shortly after addressing a community meeting.
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