Slain SACP member spoke about imminent death

Londiwe Mhlongo knew her days were numbered. Picture by: Sibonelo Ngcobo

Londiwe Mhlongo knew her days were numbered. Picture by: Sibonelo Ngcobo

Published Jan 24, 2017

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Durban – Londiwe Mhlongo, the latest victim in the continuing political violence ravaging Inchanga township, lived in fear and knew her days were numbered.

She had even sold her home to leave the area, her friend said on Monday.

Mhlongo 31, an active SACP member, was gunned down while walking with friends on Sunday evening. She was the third person to have been shot since Thursday, two of whom were seriously injured but survived.

She is the second woman killed in Inchanga since the suspected political killings began early last year. The other was SACP activist, Ntsiki Blose, who was also shot and killed.

The violence in the area has been linked to clashes between the SACP and the ANC in which more than 10 people have been shot and killed since last year.

The dispute between the two parties began during the nomination of candidates to stand for last year’s local government elections.

So serious was the rift that the alliance partners fielded two different candidates. The ANC candidate was defeated by the SACP’s Malombo Nxumalo, a relative of former mayor and SACP provincial chairperson James Nxumalo.

Speaking about the Sunday night shooting, a friend who was with Mhlongo at the time said they did not see the shooter.

“We were walking on a narrow, dark path. One of our friends was in the front, Mhlongo in the middle and I was the last,” said the friend, who did not want to be named.

“We heard the sound of gunfire and we ran in different directions. I ran home as that was the direction we had come from. It was only when the second friend arrived that we realised that Mhlongo was not with us,” he said.

“We were too frightened to go look for her, so we called the police. We all went to the scene and she was already lying there, I could not even get close to her body."

“We did not see the person who shot at us because it was too dark. The person was probably lying in wait.”

Another friend said Mhlongo often spoke about how her days were numbered.

“She was living in fear because of all the politics in this area. Her behaviour had changed and she often spoke about how she was going to die soon. She always said she would die like her sister (Blose)."

“Sometimes she would not sleep at her home as she feared she might be attacked and would spend a night at a friend’s house. She had stopped walking alone at night."

“She had even sold her house and was waiting on the payment from the buyer. Her sister had also found her a place near Pinetown.”

Other people who had come to pay their respects told of their own fears.

“This place has become so dangerous, you cannot even walk outside your own yard after dark.”

Another said, “You cannot be on the streets at six o’clock because you get shot.”

Spokesperson for the Department of Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Kwanele Ncalane, said MEC Mxolisi Kaunda had met the provincial commissioner to discuss the issues of security, the deployment of police and investigation of cases.

“The MEC is also part of efforts to find a lasting peaceful solution to the problems.”

Ndabezinhle Sibiya, spokesperson for the Office of the Premier, condemned the killings.

“A commission of inquiry into the political killings in the area should be up and running soon.

“We are just finalising all the logistical details and the premier will make the announcement.”

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thulani Zwane said the motive for the shooting was unknown and a case of murder was being investigated by Inchanga police.

The status of the police investigations regarding last year’s shootings in the area could not be established on Sunday.

The Mercury

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