Tshwarelo Hunter Mogakane
Pretoria - Assassinated Mpumalanga ANC councillor Sabelo Nhleko predicted that he would soon be killed for standing up against corrupt politicians in his municipal area.
Nhleko, 36, a councillor at Mkhondo Local Municipality, was ambushed and gunned down with his friend and a car mechanic at Longhomes Township near the Piet Retief town.
The shooting is believed to have taken place at about 8pm on Friday. with the suspects fleeing the scene before police and paramedics had arrived.
Nhleko’s killing followed the murder of Mkhondo PR councillor Muzi Manyathi, 41, who was gunned down at a fuel station in Piet Retief in November last year, also on a Friday night.
Manyathi’s murder caused an outcry in the Mkhondo Municipality, prompting ANC members to protest against MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison Vusi Shongwe, who was accused of not taking action against the known mastermind behind the hit.
Following the November incident, Nhleko posted a live video on social media accusing a prominent Mkhondo politician of killing ANC comrades who stood up against corruption.
Nhleko had stated that should he get killed, the people of Mkhondo should know who did it.
“Comrades, we are in a crisis. In Mkhondo, we are faced with a thug… who is killing us now. He is killing us for standing up against his failures in the municipality. Please know that if I die, I was killed by (this man).
“He has just killed our brother (Manyathi) who was standing up for the organisation,,” said Nhleko in the video.
Nhleko said there was a hit list and his name was on it.
“He is the one who issued the hit list. He is the one killing us because his time (at the municipality) is over.
“Go ahead and shoot us, but let the people know the truth… You killed Manyathi… I know I’m next.”
According to provincial police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli, the three victims had just arrived at a yard when the incident unfolded.
“Further information indicates that the councillor as well as his mechanic were dropped off by a friend who was driving a bakkie when three armed men appeared in the yard.
“The suspects reportedly fired multiple shots at the councillor who was in the yard, and also fatally shot the friend who was still inside his bakkie. The mechanic did not escape …he was shot by the same suspects while in the yard as well,” said Mdhluli.
Mdhluli said the three suspects fled the scene and had not been arrested yet.
“The police at Piet Retief as well as the paramedics were informed about the incident while the councillor and his mechanic were privately taken to a nearby hospital.
“The mechanic was unfortunately certified dead on arrival, while the councillor succumbed to his injuries moments later. A case with three counts of murder was opened and the suspects are still at large,” he said.
Mpumalanga Premier Refiloe Mtshweni-Tsipane has vowed to ask President Cyril Ramaphosa to proclaim a Special Investigating Unit probe into the Mkhondo Local Municipality.
She said it was concerning that a second Mkhondo councillor had been killed within a period of three months.
“We will not rest until the perpetrators are apprehended. We want justice… If such incidents continue to happen in our communities, what hope are we giving? We want to appeal to our police to work around the clock to crack this case,” she said.
Pretoria News