Cape Town - Activist and former Ses’khona People’s Movement leader Loyiso Nkohla had been receiving death threats before his brutal murder at the Philippi Railway Station on Monday morning.
This is according to those close to Nkohla, after the 40-year old was shot and killed in a murder that shook the political fraternity and communities he advocated for.
Nkohla, also a former ANC Youth League member and councillor, was the only fatality while three other people were shot and injured on the scene.
Nkohla has been representing and advocating for the Langa and Philippi railway occupiers, who are yet to be relocated, in mediations with Prasa.
Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said the circumstances leading to the incident were under investigation.
“On arrival at Philippi Railway Station, (police) found the body of a 40-year-old male who sustained fatal injuries as a result of gunshot wounds.
“The victim was declared deceased on the scene by the medical personnel.
Reports suggested that two females and one male, who also sustained injuries, were transported to a nearby hospital with private transport.
“The unknown suspects fled the scene and are yet to be arrested. The motive for the attack is yet to be determined,” said Swartbooi.
Nkohla, as former leader of the Ses’khona People’s Movement had been in the public eye when he, alongside eight other co-accused, including Andile Lili, was dubbed a “poo flinger” when they were found guilty of contravening the Civil Aviation Act.
The group dumped buckets of human faeces at Cape Town International Airport in August 2013. They were convicted and received a suspended jail sentence and ordered to perform community service.
Lili said he had warned Nkohla to be careful, especially about his position in the Prasa relocation matter.
“This is devastating. In the past months he informed me about receiving threats. I told him to be careful. There’s a lot of cruelty out there.
“His role was being a mediator with the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) to ensure the relocation happens in a dignified manner. This would also mean that trains would start moving.
Initially I was approached to be involved between residents and Prasa because they believed people who work on the ground could engage with residents.
“I turned it down because of the potential dangers. There was an interest rising from the taxi industry, extortionists and other people.
“Through Loyiso’s work and consultations with stakeholders the train can now reach Nyanga. There were consultations under way for the rail line to also be open from Philippi to Khayelitsha,” said Lili. He blamed this process for “placing a target” on Nkohla’s back.
“They made him go alone there.
Now this has happened. He told me about receiving a number of threats and I raised this with officials and even made suggestions. Nothing was done.
“Today a family is shattered and grieving while those criminals will go back to their families. It seems like the message was that the perpetrators must ensure he is dead because he was shot more than 10 times.
“We had just buried his mother two weeks ago. He was like a brother,” he said.
Nkohla is survived by his widow with two young children.
Prasa spokesperson Zinobulali Mihi said: “As this is a developing story, Metrorail WC is still establishing the information around it.”
Khayelitsha Development Forum chairperson Ndithini Tyhido described the murder as a“ cowardly assassination” and expressed his shock.
The murder took place as Police Minister Bheki Cele was addressing Khayelitsha community leaders and crime victims, following a number of shocking murders, assaults and rapes in the area.
“We received the news that Loyiso Nkohla has been shot.
The crime scene is still active, we don’t want to disturb it. Western Cape province seems to be giving us a headache. Police have to do more, there needs to be more work preventing than reacting.
However, the police cannot do this alone. It is maybe time to approach crime in the Western Cape as a Security Cluster rather than just the provincial police alone. There is a Cluster meeting (today) with all the ministers and this could be raised there,” said Cele.
ANC provincial spokesperson, Sifiso Mtsweni said they were shocked and saddened.
“At the time of death he was not a member of the ANC/ However like any member of society, to die in such a gruesome manner is completely unacceptable. We hope that the people who did this heinous act get arrested quickly and are sentenced speedily. We express our condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.”
Anyone with information on the incident can anonymously contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111, or SMS Crime Line on 32211.
Cape Times