Durban - THE murder of Inkosi Manqoba Mkhize on Saturday night has resulted in an outcry at how the murder of traditional leaders continued.
Mkhize, 38, was murdered outside his home in eMpophomeni, which falls under the uMgungundlovu District Municipality. An aide, 54, an induna known only as “Dhlomo”, was with Mkhize when he was attacked, and was also fatally shot.
Otto Kunene, IFP spokesperson on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, said the murder was a great tragedy, as it happened when the province was still mourning the bowing of King Goodwill Zwelithini.
He said that even the legislature had stopped operations in light of the king’s death.
“Inkosi Mkhize’s death showed that the killers had no humanity. The people who shot Inkosi Mkhize are fighting the nation.”
He said amaKhosi played an important role in the province, as they kept the peace in their areas and also acted on behalf of the king. Kunene said it also worried him that Mkhize’s death was part of a pattern, where izinduna and ward councillors were being killed, which he said showed there were people who did not want peace.
The Witness previously reported that since 2019, 25 izinduna have been killed, while others survived assassination attempts. Kunene said there was a danger that amaKhosi would start feeling they were not protected by the government.
KZN Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) spokesperson Senzo Mzila said Cogta MEC Sipho Hlomuka condemned the attack and had sent condolences to both the induna and Mkhize’s families.
He said the MEC would visit the inkosi’s family on Tuesday.
Mzila said the MEC wanted “no stone left unturned by law enforcement”. Mzila said that last year, the department had a memorandum of understanding between Cogta and amaKhosi, on information sharing on matters happening in their areas.
Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala confirmed the incident and said two cases of murder were opened at Howick police station.
Daily News