Durban - A former ANC councillor at Mtubatuba in Zululand was gunned down at a music event on Saturday night.
Bongani Msomi, 51, was an ANC councillor in Mtubatuba between 2011 and 2015. He lost his seat during last year’s local government elections after running as an independent candidate.
Msomi had been attending a maskandi event when he was shot and killed.
A source who declined to be named, and had arrived shortly after the shooting took place, said the killing was baffling as there was no reason why it would be politically motivated.
“This guy (Msomi) was an ANC councillor but after he decided to run as an independent he was fired by the party. After losing in the elections last year, he was not politically active. We are still baffled about what led to the shooting,” said the source.
He said they understood that the assailant had approached Msomi in a friendly manner. “They (witnesses) said he hugged him and then pulled out a gun and shot him just like that.”
The ANC has distanced itself from the murder. It was reported in the media that the party did not believe the murder had been politically motivated.
Attempts to get comment from the municipality were unsuccessful.