Durban - Police Minister Bheki Cele said on Wednesday that police were “very close” to finding the suspects involved in the murders of KwaZulu-Natal politicians, Minenhle Mkhize and Reginald Ndima, who were from the ANC and IFP, respectively.
Minister Cele was speaking to the media on updates on investigations into political killings in KZN. He was joined by Deputy Minister of State Security Zizi Kodwa, Premier Sihle Zikalala and KZN police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Cele said that protecting councillors was not the job of police, and that private security needed to be procured.
“Progress has also been made in the recent murder of councillor Mkhize (Minenhle) from Hammarsdale and the murder of the speaker of Amajuba (Reginald Ndima). We are very close to finding the perpetrators of those two cases.
Police Minister Bheki Cele says police are very close to solving the murders of late councillors Reginald Ndima from the IFP and Minenhle Mkhize from the ANC. Both men were shot dead last month in KZN. @IOL pic.twitter.com/LQKdC2cRaz
— Jehran Daniel (@JehranD) February 2, 2022
“Progress has also been made in the recent murder of councillor Mkhize (Minenhle) from Hammarsdale and the murder of the speaker of Amajuba (Reginald Ndima). We are very close to finding the perpetrators of those two cases.
“It is in the jurisdiction of that party to the municipality. What the police can do is to make the assessment through the Crime Intelligence unit to say, indeed, there is a threat towards this particular councillor. But the real guarding comes from the council in a way that they get the private security company and pay for it,” he said, responding to the issue of protection of councillors.
Cele said he had confidence in the Inter Ministerial Committee’s (IMC) ability to bring the cases to book.
Ndima, 58, was gunned down on Saturday morning outside his home by unknown gunmen. Regional police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker confirmed that the political task team would be investigating his death.
KZN premier and provincial head of the ANC, Sihle Zikalala, says parties must work to reduce tension within itself. This after two councillors were shot dead last month. The ANC was named as one of the most affected parties by the violence. @IOL pic.twitter.com/cOyRBBbNk2
— Jehran Daniel (@JehranD) February 2, 2022
Mkhize, 39, councillor of eThekwini’s ward 103, covering the Assagay, Botha’s Hill and KwaSondela, was reportedly shot several times outside his home.
“At around half-past-seven in the evening, a 39-year-old male was murdered near Mthombomuhle Primary School in Cliffdale, Hammarsdale. He was coming from unit 6 where he had played soccer when he arrived at home. He was shot several times. He died on the scene,” police said.
Both men were killed after assuming their roles in office following the 2021 local government elections.
Political Bureau