By Thabo Masemola, Barbara Cole and Vincent Gilbey
The hunt is on for a fourth suspect involved in the murder of KwaNongoma Mayor Bhekuyise Joseph Sikhonde, 38, who was shot by balaclava-clad gunmen with AK-47s this week.
Police have arrested three men from three different areas of Nongoma, near Ulundi in KwaZulu-Natal, and said today that they were on the trail of a fourth, but added that "more arrests are imminent".
As the region was still reeling in shock at the murder of the 38-year-old Inkatha Freedom Party strongman, and tensions mounted, members of the local community took the law into their own hands and set fire to Simiso Mahlambi, 18, whom they suspected of being involved in the killing.
"He suffered serious burns and is in hospital in a serious condition," said police spokesman Captain Vish Naidoo.
The provincial head of the detective branch, Commissioner Patrick Brown, is heading the investigation and is assisted by an 11-member project team, as well as the 66 members of the public order policing unit.
Senior IFP politicians are at pains not to make obvious their apparent suspicions of African National Congress involvement in the continued spate of murders of their members in the KwaNongoma area.
An IFP member, who wished to remain anonymous, blamed the ANC for the murder.
Distancing the party from the killings, a senior ANC official, who also did not wish to be named, blamed in-fighting within the IFP as the reason behind Sikhonde's murder.
Independent observer and KwaZulu-Natal violence monitor Mary De Haas on Monday said the fact that Sikhonde was himself facing a murder charge of killing a Commander Ngcobo last year did not preclude revenge as a motive.
On Wednesday pupils from Sikhonde's school, Ndabuko High School at Kwa-Minya, abandoned classes and joined in the hunt for the murderers, searching the surrounding hills.
Kwa-Minya, Sikhonde's home village, was a picture of subdued anger, with nearly everyone joining in the search.
Six other prominent IFP leaders have been killed in KwaNongoma this year, and, according to IFP MP Albert Mncwango, Sikhonde's name had been high on a hit-list drawn up by political opponents.
Those killed since April were deputy IFP chairman for the KwaMinya area Mfuneni Buthelezi; IFP councillor for Zululand Themba Ntshangase; Matshitshi Mtshali, a 25-year-old Inkatha youth leader; and three members, Makhosandile Dlamini, Vayi Zulu and Muntukabani Dlamini.
ANC KwaZulu-Natal northern region leader Senzo Mchunu, said that among its members slain at KwaNongoma in recent years were Ngcobo, for whose murder Sikhonde had been charged and was out on bail, Mlungisi Shamase in October 1999, Mr Mandla Buthelezi in July 1999, a Mr Ngubane, an administrator at KwaGqikazi College of Education, and a Mr Ntshangase early this year.