CAPE TOWN - Ahead of the much-anticipated ANC Eastern Cape elective conference at the weekend, the party was reeling in shock after a Nelson Mandela Bay councillor and his assistant were killed in a hail of bullets in KwaNobuhle, Kariega.
Ward 43 councillor Andile Andries and ANC branch secretary Lubabalo Keso when they came under fire from suspects in a Quantum minibus on Monday, according to police
They fled the scene and are yet to be arrested.
Speaking to the Cape Times on Tuesday, Nelson Mandela Bay executive mayor Eugene Johnson said this was the second death of a councillor in the municipality since the new council was elected in November 2021.
“I received the unfortunate news of the passing away of councillor Andile Andres and his assistant Lubabalo Keso, with a great sense of shock. It is indeed shocking as it comes at the back of a similar incident that happened in Gqeberha. I wish to express our collective sincere condolences on behalf of the Nelson Mandela Bay Council and the people of the Metro,” said Johnson.
ANC regional spokesperson Lukhanyo Mzinzi said the news had hit the party hard.
“We are quite appalled by what has happened and we think that this is coming at a bad time for our movement. We are appalled by the issue of guns and people taking other people’s lives in our province. We are feeling the pain of our brother and we will be supporting these families throughout and make sure that they find proper support structures so that we can come to terms with this matter. We want to call upon law enforcement to tighten their hand against this criminal act,” he said.
Families of the deceased said they were still coming to terms with the news on Tuesday and will release a statement due course.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana said a manhunt has since been launched.
“According to the report; the 45 year old councillor was coming out of his house together with the 41 year-old male secretary at the time of the incident. It is alleged that as they approached their vehicle, a Quantum minibus drove towards them and began firing several shots thereby killing them at the scene. The Quantum vehicle sped off after the incident. The number of the suspects in the drive-by shooting is not known at this stage.The circumstances surrounding the incident are currently under investigation. Murder cases have been registered and no arrest made at this stage,“ said Kinana.
Political analyst Ongama Mtimka said there were a number of things that have become a cause for concern when it comes to how offices of councillors were perceived within the political economic circles.
“The bottom line is that the political economy of community life in South Africa has increasingly become dangerous as those that are perceived to be in power become targeted by those who disagree with them or by those who seek to displace them.
“But in the specific instances of these two killings we don’t know yet from which area of the councillor’s many roles, this killing could be arising. There has been talks of something having to do with taxi violence and the interplay between business and politics at a ward level or even processes leading up to the regional conference,” he said.
ANC Youth League regional chairperson, Siviwe Ngaba said: “The incident is said to have taken place outside councillor Andile Andries’ home, which makes it clear that it was a premeditated act. We are resolute on applying pressure on the police to not rest until justice is served. These types of acts and criminality have got absolutely no space in our democracy and must be rooted out with immediate effect. We call on anyone who has information to assist the police to please assist in the investigation by going to their nearest police station. Furthermore, we call on our comrades to respect the families and desist from spreading rumours and conspiracies about the incident,“ Ngaba said.
Cape Times