Durban - Political analyst Protas Madlala says the ANC should look within itself to find answers about the killing of its members.
During the Moerane Commission, he said, almost all political parties had testified that the political killings in the province were due to internal party conflicts.
He said the ANC should reconsider how leaders were placed in positions, and pay special attention to the allocation of tenders, saying these were the conflicts that led to the killing of ANC leaders.
Madlala was commenting shortly after the court appearance of uMlazi ANC councillor Mthokozisi Nojiyeza, one of the three accused in the murder of another ANC councillor, Sibusiso Bhabhane Maphumulo, who was gunned down near his home in uMlazi on October 18.
Nojiyeza, his brother Phumlani Nojiyeza, and Nkosinathi Mbambo are all facing charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
“The ANC should not look outside, because the problem is within the party. They should not blame anyone but themselves. The question we should be asking is why this is not happening in the DA.
“It is only happening within the ruling party.
“The answer is there for everyone to see. The people killed all had one common denominator: they were all against corruption,” said Madlala.
ANC spokesperson Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu said the party members who came to court were not against each other, but came to support the Maphumulo family as the victims.
She appealed to party members to leave the matter to be resolved by the court.
“We appreciate the work of the police so far. We have been calling for the police to make arrests. We respect the processes of the law and that people are innocent until proven guilty,” she said.
Maphumulo was in his car after a meeting in the township’s V-section when another car parked next to him and the occupants opened fire.
Mthokozisi Nojiyeza’s lawyer, advocate Simphiwe Mlotshwa, told the court that he wanted his client to be granted bail.
He said Nojiyeza was a trusted person, had handed in his passport and declared an alternative residential address.
He added that Nojiyeza needed to get medical attention after he was allegedly assaulted by the police during his arrest.
Prosecutor Tiyani Mabasa said the investigating officer had not verified the men’s home addresses and, as they faced a serious case of murder, their addresses needed to be verified before the processes of a formal bail application.
Advocate Sphamandla Ngcobo, the lawyer representing Phumlani, and Asanda Luthango, representing Mbambo, said they were not ready to make their bail applications.
The matter was adjourned to January 3 and 4 and they were all remanded.
Phumzile Maphumulo, the slain councillor’s sister, said she was still shocked at the arrest of Nojiyeza, who was her brother’s best friend.
“We were disappointed to discover that the accused were my brother’s friends.
“They know everything about our family, including the fact that we are orphans. We thank Police Minister Bheki Cele for the arrests,” she said.