Durban - The inauguration of new leaders in eThekwini Municipality on Tuesday was overshadowed by the violence in Inchanga, which continued well into Tuesday morning, having already claimed two lives in the past two days.
The violence is an aftermath of the bruising ANC eThekwini region elective conference last year.
Divisions within the ruling party and its alliance partners saw violence continue into the recent local government elections and post-election results.
Residents of Inchanga, west of Durban, told the Daily News that violence was ongoing and police confirmed on Tuesday that five houses had been burned on Monday night.
On Monday, women in houses that are near the four that were burned the previous night loaded what belongings they could gather into police vans and went into hiding.
The arson occurred after the slaying of SACP Inchanga branch secretary, Nonsikelelo Blose, on Sunday evening.
In what residents claimed to have been a revenge killing, Xolani Ngcobo, an ANC member, was shot dead at his home on Monday.
Residents said Ngcobo had opened fire on a group of protesters who were marching past his home to blockade the road at the other end of Inchanga.
"Residents said this was a war between the ruling ANC and its alliance partner, the SACP, in Inchanga. He fired first. Tha's how he died. He was not provoked," said a resident .
In the early morning, plumes of smoke from burning tyres filled the air, with hundreds of residents in different sections of Ward 4 stoking the fires and chanting slogans.
None of them was willing to be named, but those who spoke to the Daily News alleged that some local ANC leaders were the cause of the mayhem for refusing to accept the victory of independent candidate, Malombo Nxumalo, in the municipal elections.
"Nxumalo won the election, but there are people who refuse to accept that. Their supporters are out to kill those who accept the victory," said the residents.
Nxumalo is related to outgoing mayor, James Nxumalo, who is an SACP leader in the province. He has been replaced by Zandile Gumede.
Police used stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds on Monday.
Forty-two people, including teenagers, were chased and loaded into police vehicles.
Once the road was cleared, towards midday, Transport, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Mxolisi Kaunda arrived.
He visited the destroyed homes and addressed those present.
As Kaunda addressed the families individually, some relatives and those living close to the destroyed homes loaded their children and personal belongings into police vans and went into hiding. They said they felt threatened by the attacks.
Kaunda advised them to remain in hiding.
"If you feel threatened, stay away until the situation calms down. The police will be visible in the area and I can assure you that we will get to the bottom of this. Peace and stability will be restored in the area. I have already received a report that two people were arrested in connection with the murder of Blose," said Kaunda.
He said they were meeting both the warring sides at the area police station to find a solution.
"We know that there are two sides involved in this. There is an independent candidate and a candidate councillor from the ANC structures. However, we would expect both party leaders to rise above the problem," said Kaunda.
By late on Mondayevening, SACP provincial spokesman, Themba Mthembu, said: "No one is happy about the violence in the area. In fact, things shouldn't have been allowed to reach this boiling point even before the municipal elections.
"If people say we as leaders are responsible for the mess, they wouldn't be lying. We have allowed criminal elements to dictate terms in our structures and these are the results," said Mthembu.
He said members of both parties should assist the police in arresting the perpetrators.
"We just need to provide assistance to the police in an honest manner to stop this mayhem."
A relative of Blose', who asked not to be named, said the dead woman left three children, one in Grade 12, and the youngest in day care. The eldest was looking for a job, having passed Grade 12 last year.
"I'm lost for words because she was the only hope at home. We are unemployed and now she leaves behind three children. Who will look after their needs? I couldn't sleep since this happened.
"She was with one of her children when she was killed. I have lost hope in life," said the relative.
In January, SACP members Bongani Hlatshwayo and Phillip Dlamini were shot dead at a public meeting in Kwa-Ndokweni sports ground, and Blose is said to have been a witness to that shooting, hence her murder.
Xolani Ngcobo's brother, Vusi, said Ngcobo was shot once, then stoned to death by his assailants.
"What killed him was a blow to the back of his head, and those people stoned him to death," said Vusi.
He could not give further details because he was still shaken. He said the group also threw bricks at his home, shattering the windows.
On Monday the provincial police could not confirm the number of damaged houses. Spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane, said those arrested were charged with public violence.
ANC provincial spokesman Mdumiseni Ntuli said the meeting went well on Monday night.
"We are dealing with a very sensitive issue. What we have observed is that people who are involved in this unrest seem to belong to the ANC and SACP, hence we decided to first meet with both parties before going to the public at large.
"It is clear that Inchanga is suffering from a hangover from the municipal elections because there are those who refuse to accept the independent candidate's victory of the ward, who feel that the ANC candidate should have won," said Ntuli.
He said they would meet local leadership on Tuesday afternoon.
Daily News