Pretoria - City councillor and ANC regional executive committee member Susan Ngobeni is mourning the death of her nephew, who was shot during a party gathering at the Tshwane Events Centre on Sunday.
Simon Modihe, 38, was shot while in a group of supporters waiting for the announcement of Thoko Didiza as the ANC mayoral candidate for the local government elections on August 3.
An emotional Ngobeni, who spoke to the Pretoria News on Monday, said they were shocked by the events that led to the death of her nephew. “We don’t know what happened because we were in a meeting with members of the national and provincial executive committees when the incident took place.
“I heard that there was a bit of a scuffle at the events centre but I wasn’t aware that my nephew was part of it.
“His mother is inconsolable and does not wish to talk to the media,” said Ngobeni.
Modihe was shot in the leg and upper body and rushed to Steve Biko Academic Hospital where he died.
It is believed that four men in a VW Polo without licence plates arrived and parked outside the venue. Two jumped out of the vehicle, walked to a group of ANC members standing near the gate and opened fire on them.
Another two were stabbed and assaulted and sustained serious injuries.
The gunmen, one of whom was wearing an ANC-branded shirt, were seen running into nearby flats.
SAPS members surrounded the block of flats, but it was unclear whether anyone had been arrested.
ANC member Jonas Lebeya, who was injured in the scuffle, said this was a result of a long-standing feud between two ANC factions that originate from Ward 95 in Stinkwater, north of the city.
“Those were the same thugs from our ward who support mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa.
“They got there and told us not to go into the venue. At first we didn’t, but then decided to enter because we are members and had the right to do so,” said Lebeya.
He said he was in a bed next to that of Modihe when the latter was pronounced dead. “The doctors were about to start treating him when I heard one of them saying he was dead,” he said.
Lebeya suffered a broken nose, an injury to his left eye and bruises across his body.
“I was beaten with golf clubs and hockey sticks. I have to wait for an eye operation again. I was assaulted a few years ago and had an operation on the same eye,” he said.
Last month, MMC for Corporate Services Thembi Mmoko’s bodyguard was shot in the shoulder after a branch meeting to nominate a candidate to contest in the local elections turned violent.
In February shots were fired into Mmoko’s home. Windows were smashed after another failed meeting.
The ANC’s deputy secretary, Jesse Duarte, said the party would act against those who were behind the shooting if they were found to be ANC members.
“The ANC condemns heinous acts in the strongest terms possible and will act decisively where it is proven that any of our members were responsible for the shooting”, she said.
Pretoria News