Durban — The killing of ANC eThekwini ward 99 councillor Mnqobi Molefe could be linked to internal squabbles within the branch executive committee or to a massive dam project under way in the area.
Molefe was shot and killed in the early hours of on Monday at his fiancée’s home in Mvutshini village outside Margate on the South Coast.
Speaking to a Daily News team that visited the family on Monday, the deceased’s brother, Sibonelo Molefe, said the family received a call to rush to Margate because something had happened to his brother.
He said upon arrival they were informed that unknown people had forced a door open and shot and killed his brother in front of his fiancée.
Although the family said it did not know the motive for the killing, a branch executive member who cannot be named for his own safety, said although Molefe was killed outside of eThekwini, his murder could have been organised within the branch.
He said the ANC branch leadership suspected that the person who may have hired hit men to kill him could be a member of the branch executive or he could have been killed by individuals involved in the dam project in the area, who had a dispute with him.
The branch member said it was not a secret that the branch executive was divided and there was a member who had wanted the councillor position given to the deceased.
He added that the member had started badmouthing Molefe in the community, telling them he had not been the right candidate and should be removed.
On the possible link to the dam project, the member said Molefe had been fighting for local contractors to get a slice of the project and there were people who had hated him for doing that.
“We do not want to say much because police are still investigating and hopefully they will find the killers and their masters – but we felt we must voice our suspicions as the ANC in the ward,” said the member.
The ANC and the eThekwini municipality leadership led by regional secretary Musa Nciki and mayor Mxolisi Kaunda visited the deceased’s family in Crowder village outside Umkomaas on Monday afternoon.
Nciki denied any knowledge of branch executive squabbles, saying the party trusted that the police would find the killers soon. He urged the community to assist the police with information. Nciki said it was painful to the party to lose Molefe.
Kaunda also did not want to speculate on the motive for the killing, saying although challenges in the community were always there the municipality will leave everything to the police. He sent condolences to the family and to the community that have been robbed of their father and their leader.
KZN police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said a murder docket was opened at Margate police station.
Molefe is the second ANC councillor to be killed this year after the killing of ward 103 councillor Minenhle Mkhize, who was also shot and killed. Last week an IFP Msinga councillor Siyanda Magubane was killed when unknown suspects sprayed his car with bullets.
Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Sihle Zikalala expressed his shock at the killing of the councillors, saying it was sad because they were bridges between the councils and their communities.
Daily News