Durban - Political assassinations in KwaZulu-Natal has reared its ugly head after an IFP councillor was shot and wounded in KwaDukuza on Tuesday and calls are growing for police to act swiftly.
It is alleged that at 7 am Aubrey Baardman, his wife and two children were travelling on the N2 freeway towards KwaDukuza when he was attacked by unknown gunmen said police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thulani Zwane.
Zwane said they fired gun shots towards them.
“An eleven-year-old child sustained injury on the leg and the victim was injured on the neck. Circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated. Charges of attempted murder will be opened by KwaDukuza SAPS,”Zwane said.
Baardman known as Mtolo serves as a councillor at the KwaDukuza Municipality and as an executive member at the Ilembe District Council.
Blessed Gwala MPL, IFP KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson on Community Safety and Liaison said Baardman informed the party that gunmen opened fire on the family’s vehicle while they were driving from home just 200m away while joining another road in Ward 5, in Lindelani.
“We are shocked about this incident where our councillor survived the attack and managed to drive to safety despite being wounded in the neck in a shooting in which his wife and two children age 11 and 15 months were also injured,” Gwala said.
“We want the police and the Hawks to be thorough in their investigation and leave no stone unturned in this matter and ensure that justice is served. Members of the community who have information about this assassination attempt are urged to come forward and assist the police in their investigations,”Gwala said.
He said the investigation must expose all the details, including those who gave the order to kill, those who conspired to have the councillor killed, the suppliers of the guns and if there is any money that was offered to have Baardman killed.
“Crime has no place within our society and Baardman’s family do not need to live in fear with the alleged killers walking and living amongst them,”he said.
Gwala added that the tragic deaths of many men, women and children in the country, killed every day by illegal firearms, is the high price of failing to halt the spread of those weapons.
“Once again, the IFP is calling on government to stand up and eradicate illegal guns used by criminals to commit crime. Disarmament initiatives by the government in the country have not yielded the desired results. Government must come up with raft measures in its effort to address the matter, which is a threat to national security. Organized criminal groups still pose a challenge to the country's national security,”he said.