KwaZulu-Natal chairperson of the ANC Sihle Zikalala has described the death of ANC councillor Sindiso Magaqa as "painful".
Magaqa, 35, died in a Durban hospital on Monday night at around 7 pm.He had been in hospital after being shot in an ambush in July.
Zikalala, spoke to the Mercury this morning, before going to visit Magaqa's family."The passing of Magaqa is painful and unbearable for the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal and we will work to address this. We all thought that he would recover."
He said the party was also concerned that the Harry Gwala region was becoming a hot spot for violence.Zikalala said they need to work with the community, community leaders, the police and all other stakeholders to stabilise the area and to bring the perpetrators to book.
Magaqa is the second ANC councillor to die in the past two weeks. Last week councillor Kwazi Mkhize, 34, in Mkhambathini was shot dead after a branch meeting. He was shot in front of his brothers and a family member said the brothers had been left traumatised by the shooting.
During a legislature sitting last week opposition MPLs said the ANC should appear before the Moerane commission of inquiry, which is looking into political killings in the province, and provide answers about the killing of some of its councillors.
EFF leader in KZN legislature Vusi Khoza had said last week that it was concerning that the ANC had not appeared before the commission."We note the continued killing of political leaders in the province. We note that most of those that have been killed are members of the ANC."It is very concerning that despite most of those killed being members of the ANC, the party has not appeared before the commission," he said.
DA leader in KZN legislature Francois Rogers said it was difficult to face the fact that more than two decades after democratic elections, democracy was being "driven by a bullet rather than a ballot. We thank those who have testified before the commission including our own Dean Macpherson," Rogers said.