Mluleki Ndobe’s brother slams media at memorial for linking him to murder

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize was among the dignitaries at the Ntlabeni Sportsfield in his ancestral village of Kokshill in Umzimkhulu on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast. Picture: Supplied

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize was among the dignitaries at the Ntlabeni Sportsfield in his ancestral village of Kokshill in Umzimkhulu on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast. Picture: Supplied

Published Nov 14, 2020

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Durban – The younger brother of the late ANC KwaZulu-Natal deputy provincial secretary, Mluleki Ndobe, has slammed the media for linking him to the death of former ANCYL secretary- general Sindiso Magaqa.

In a tribute to his brother at the Ntlabeni Sportsfield in his ancestral village of Kokshill in Umzimkhulu on the KwaZulu Natal South Coast, Mzolisi Ndobe said that the media's narratives about his brother following his death had dealt the family double pain of his loss and negative reporting about him.

Ndobe's send-off was attended by the who’s who of South Africa and KwaZulu-Natal's political landscape, including Cogta Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, Deputy Public Protector Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka, KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala, KZN MECs Kwazi Mshengu, Ravi Pillay, Bheki Ntuli, IFP President Velenkosini Hlabisa and DA KZN leader Zwakele Mncwango.

Ndobe has been accused of involvement in Magaqa's 2017 murder, but the charges were provisionally withdrawn last year.

Affectionately known by his clan name Siwa or his nickname, "The Black Mamba", Ndobe, who had battled cancer for close to two years, died on Friday, November 6.

At the time of his death, Ndobe was the Deputy Speaker of the KZN Legislature and also the co-ordinator of the ANC eThekwini Regional Task Team.

"There are media houses here where we are seated now. There is nothing wrong with the media houses, we appreciate their work that they're doing, but as the family we want to register it that we know that the journalists, as the children of Africa, will know the pain that comes with the death of a family member or a friend or a colleague or anyone who had a relationship of some sort with the deceased.

"As the family, we are hurt when we see some of the journalists when they were reporting, bragging about the charges that were dropped.

“That inflicted double pain to us as the family because it was the first pain of losing the son, the second pain was that of reading all the narratives by the media.

’’We want to humble ourselves as the family and say that what we are expecting as the family from the media houses, is for us to get comfort to our loss," said Mzolisi Ndobe.

He said that Ndobe's death had come two days after law enforcement agencies had returned all the assets that had been seized.

"This is proving that there was nothing linking my brother with anything (sic), so I thought I should put this to the attention of the public for its consumption," said Ndobe's younger brother.

He also singled out Mkhize, KZN Legislature Speaker Nontembeko Boyce, KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane and ANC KZN provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli for having played a key role in assisting his brother during his battle with cancer.

"We know as the family the role that you played in trying to assist in saving Siwa's life, we want to say thank you as a family," said Mzolisi Ndobe.

Political Bureau

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