Pretoria - The SA Local Government Association has pleaded with the police and National Prosecuting Authority to speedily prosecute those responsible for the growing number of killings and intimidation of councillors in the country.
This is after the latest killing of councillor Fundisile Ranai, 49, slain alongside his 18-year-old son Siyolise outside their Slovo Park home in Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape, on Friday last week.
Two weeks ago, two KwaZulu-Natal councillors were shot and killed, with Siyanda Magubane on September 8 and Mnqobi Molefe being assassinated on September 12.
Earlier this month, the Salga conference on mayors also heard that more than 300 councillors were killed between August last year and January this year.
Yesterday, the home of Pretty Moirwagale, Speaker of the Kagisano Molopo Municipality in Ganyesa outside Vryburg in the North West, was set alight.
The motive for the attack remains unknown, but in June this year councillors complained about threats to their lives, including being followed by unknown people while performing their duties.
Salga president Bheki Stofile said his association was very concerned about the growing number of intimidation and killing of councillors and municipal officials as widely reported in the media in recent weeks.
“It cannot be that week after week we convey condolences for public representatives who have been killed based on choosing to be servants of the people. By definition, an act of violence or even to the extent of killing municipal councillors and/or senior managers should be viewed within the contestation of power; it presents a direct attack on our hard-won democracy.
“In a normal society, you shouldn’t have to be a brave superhero to want to stand and represent your community,” Stofile said.
Salga had in previous years suggested that the rate of successful prosecution of councillor killings must be raised by turning councillor slayings into priority crimes, he said.
“The Salga Governance, Intergovernmental and International Relations Working Group has observed a growing number of intimidation and killing of councillors and municipal officials, and damage to municipal property during service delivery protests. While the nature of attacks varies, and others manage to get the media attention while others do not get reported; the following is common:
• Security threats at offices and homes.
• Councillor’s family held up in their homes.
• Extortion of money from councillors.
• intimidation from gangsters related to building projects.
• Threats for executing official responsibilities.
• Killing of both councillors and officials.
• Damage to moveable and immovable property.
Stofile said “These attacks threaten the credibility of our democracy; pose a danger in that society, in general, might develop intolerance, inimical to our democracy; erodes the constitutional imperatives in so far as it does not reflect the character of society nor will of the people; and it negatively impacts the credibility of local government as a potential area of opportunity for qualified and competent public representative and prospective employees.”
Among the proposed solutions, Salga believes there was a need for platforms to engage on councillors’ welfare and support to ensure that communities are educated on the roles and responsibilities of the different spheres of government through public awareness campaigns and roadshows.
Stofile said the SAPS and National Prosecuting Authority should ensure that reported cases were prosecuted, and a model of conducting risk assessments for councillors and municipal officials should be developed as a matter of priority.
“The killing of councillors and municipal officials is not a local government matter that can be resolved single-handedly. There is a need to marshal society in its entirety to go back to the basics – to respect human life and democracy. The killing of councillors takes place against the backdrop of a violent society where human life is no longer valued.”
Pretoria News