Cape Town - Three ANC councillors in the
Kayamandi area have apparently received death threats and been told their names are on a hit list.
On Wednesday, two of them, Nokuthula Mananga-Gugushe and Phelisa Sitshoti, informed the ANC Western Cape of the threats after one of their homes was stoned. They have since laid a complaint at the Stellenbosch police station and also informed the speaker of the Stellenbosch Municipality, the DA’s Wilhelmina Petersen, of the danger they are facing.
The threats come days after the murder of Kayamandi community activist Midasi Wanana, 44, who was shot dead outside his home in O-Zone last Thursday. Police said he was shot by three unknown suspects.
Wanana was shot a couple of hours before he was due to participate in a service delivery march to the
Stellenbosch Town Hall.
Mananga-Gugushe said: “Yesterday (Tuesday) when I came home from town, the windows of my home had been broken. I’ve received reliable information from my sources that our names are on a hit list. Those targeting us have sent out a message on the streets that Wanana was the first and we are next.
“I’m really scared and it is not safe in our homes. We have laid a charge at the Stellenbosch police station and met with the station commander, Deon Beneke. He told us that SAPS will do a risk assessment report.”
Reacting to the situation, ANC Western Cape spokesperson Dennis Cruywagen said: “As the ANC we are very concerned about the situation in Stellenbosch. Last week one of
our members was murdered. Now we hear that our councillors are being threatened.
“Our members are living in fear and yesterday morning one of their houses was stoned. They are scared to live in their homes. Our members need protection and we call on the authorities to give the necessary protection because we do not want another
killing in Stellenbosch.”
Meanwhile, police confirmed that a case had been opened and they would investigate the alleged threats.
A memorial service would be held for Wanana on Saturday at the Strong Yard Hall, a family spokesperson said. The activist’s funeral would be held a week later on Saturday, August 31.
Wanana, who was the leader of the Azania group, was shot in what his family and supporters consider a hit. The family claim he was lured to his death by a neighbour working with the unknown person who pulled the trigger.
At the time, a colleague of
Wanana’s, Zola Ndalasi said he feared for his life, “We don’t know who killed him, but we suspect that those who killed Wanana are those whom we were marching against. They are the people who want to ruin Kayamandi.”