POLICE are investigating two counts of murder and three of attempted murder following a shooting in Area 24, Umgababa on October 15, which left two ANC members dead and three other people injured.

Also read: Two political figures shot dead in Umgababa

In a statement by KZN police, reports indicate that three ANC members, one of whom was ANC branch co-ordinator, Lungani Makhathini, were on a door-to-door campaign, protected by their two bodyguards when a white Isuzu bakkie approached them from behind.

“The occupants of the bakkie reportedly opened fire on the five using rifles and pistols. Two people, a man and a woman were declared dead at the scene and one woman reportedly injured her leg when she was fleeing from the assassins. The two bodyguards fled the scene and are yet to be found. The motive of the killing is unknown but political intolerance cannot be ruled out,” said KZN police.

With the local government elections around the corner, the shootings have sparked concerns about political violence.

Spokesperson for ANC KZN, Sifiso Sonjica, condemned the murders, raising serious concerns for the country’s democracy.

“The democracy we fought for is that we must fight elections using the ballot. We have seen a lot of these killings. This was brazen. We are a leader of the society as ANC, and we have full confidence that the police will crack this case. We generally will hope that this is not an attack to democracy itself. We have seen a lot of these killings, ANC members, but our view is that nobody must be killed for whatever reason,” said Sonjica.

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