Durban - About 3000 South African Communist Party supporters on Sunday attended the funeral of Nontsikelelo Blose, who was shot dead a week ago at a tavern in Inchanga, about halfway between Durban and Pietermaritzburg.
The Nondlini Sport and Community Centre Hall in Inchanga was packed to capacity with party supporters in red T-shirts, family members, and a large press contingent.
A few hundred supporters milled around outside the hall, unable to gain entry. At the same time about 5km away about 1000 African National Congress supporters packed the Michael Gwala Hall in Inchanga for the funeral of ANC Youth League member Xolani Ngcobo, who was killed last Monday during the angry mob rampage that followed Blose's shooting.
Blose's funeral was also attended by former eThekwini metro mayor James Nxumalo, who is also the provincial chairman of the SACP. Other notables included SACP KwaZulu-Natal secretary Themba Mthembu and SACP deputy national chairman Thulas Nxesi.
There was a heavy police presence throughout Inchanga, which falls in Durban's embattled ward 4. Blose, a local SACP leader who was a witness in the case of five men accused of killing SACP supporter Philip Dlamini, was shot dead at a tavern last Sunday. The Sunday Tribune reported that she was at the tavern with Nxumalo's son and her daughter when she was shot. Nxumalo's son Wandile Nxumalo was quoted by the newspaper as saying that the two men had intended shooting him, but Blose had instead been shot.
Following Blose's killing, members of the SACP went on the rampage burning a number of houses. It was during this rampage that Ngcobo was killed. Ngcobo's funeral was attended by ANC eThekwini regional secretary Bheki Ntuli as well as ANC youth league provincial secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo and former ward 4 councillor Boy Shozi.
Ten eThekwini metro municipal buses were parked outside the Michael Gwala Hall along with a heavy police contingent. Units of the eThekwini metro police were patrolling Inchanga along with South African Police Service units. Ward 4 has been divided between members of the ANC and the SACP since the nomination of candidates to stand in the August 3 local government elections started last year.
Earlier this year, two people, including Dlamini, were killed in the dispute. Since then tensions have been high despite visits to the area by several high ranking SACP and ANC members trying to heal the rift. SACP members claim they were blocked from participating in the branch nominations for councillor candidates.
On August 3, SACP member Petrus Nxumalo, a cousin of the former mayor, stood as an independent and won the ward. He was hugged and congratulated by many as he arrived at Blose's funeral service on Sunday. Blose and Ngcobo were both expected to be buried later in the day.
African News Agency