*This article has been edited
Durban - Former eThekwini mayor and KZN ANC MPL, Zandile Gumede, is in mourning following the killing of one of her long-time loyalists, confidants and chief campaigners.
Sduduzo Magwaza was shot dead late on Tuesday night while at Cornubia village in Durban.
Independent Media was informed that he was shot by unknown people while inside the village and was rushed to an undisclosed hospital where he later died.
Magwaza was not only Gumede's confidant who supported her when appearing in court but their relationship dates back when Gumede was wrestling for the position of eThekwini ANC regional chairperson against James Nxumalo - another former eThekwini mayor.
During the chaotic local government elections of 2016, Magwaza was the ruling party’s ward 30 (Mayville, Durban) candidate, but the DA snatched the ward and he missed the opportunity to be a councillor.
Magwaza was also vocal on social media, taunting Gumede’s detractors, telling them that the corruption charges against the former mayor are politically motived and Gumede would be re-elected as eThekwini ANC regional chairperson when an elective conference is finally convened.
Most details around his killings are still not clear and it could not be ascertained whether the killing is politically motivated or it was pure criminality.
The spokesperson for Gumede's supporters, Mzomuhle Dube, confirmed the killing and said they were working on visiting the family of Magwaza to get some details.
“For now we don’t have much information about the incident and we are trying to avoid making statements without having full information. We are planning to visit his family in Cornubia today and the projected time for the visit is 11 am," Dube told Independent Media on Wednesday morning.
Nhlakanipho Ntombela, spokesperson of the ANC in KZN, referred all questions to the eThekwini regional task team. Bheki Ntuli, a senior member of the task team, who confirmed the sad news.
“Yes it (the killing) happened yesterday,” Ntuli confirmed.
Political Bureau