Thursday, May 24, 2018

South African Ruling Party Condemns Series of Political Killings
2018-05-24 03:51:52

CAPE TOWN, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Unabated political killings in South Africa prompted the ruling African National Congress (ANC) to voice its condemnation on Wednesday.

This came after S'fiso Ngcobo, chairperson of the Shack Dwellers' Movement, was assassinated on Tuesday in Mariannhill, west of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal Province. Another leader of the movement, Ndumiso Mnguni, was also shot in Durban and is now fighting for his life.

The ANC "is devastated" by the assassination of Ngcobo and strongly condemns the continuation of blood spill in the province, ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe said in a statement emailed to Xinhua.

The two shootings are believed to be politically motivated.

In another incident also on Tuesday, Gregory Kamwendo, a professor at the University of Zululand, was shot dead in his vehicle on his way home in Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal Province. It remains unknown whether his death was politically motivated.

The barbaric murders of Ngcobo and Kamwendo "are very concerning," Mabe said.

"Crime fighting remains one of the ANC's key priorities and we are pleased with the move of our government to mandate the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster to fast-tract and solve all cases of murder that occurred in the province," said Mabe.

The KwaZulu-Natal Province has been gripped by a series of political killings recently. Earlier this month, Msawenkosi Mchunu, an ANC leader in Moses Mabhida Region, KwaZulu-Natal Province, and Sbuyiselo Dlamini, leader of the Inkata Freedom Party (IFP) in Ulundi, also KwaZulu-Natal Province, were shot dead. Their killings were preceded by the assassination of Sifiso Cele, an ANC branch treasurer in KwaZulu-Natal's Ray Nkonyeni Municipality.

The motives for the killings are still under investigation. No one has been arrested. But it is believed that the killings are related to rivalry among factions of political parties before the 2019 general elections.

The ANC called on the South African Police Service to leave no stone unturned in apprehending the perpetrators of these ghastly deeds in the province, Mabe said.

"We are very concerned that so many citizens are being butchered but no one gets arrested," he said.

Editor: yan

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