Durban — An uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) elections campaign manager, Mxolisi Zungu, 32, was shot dead in Cato Crest, Durban, on Wednesday.
Zungu also worked for a private security company as a bodyguard.
According to Zungu’s family, who were at the scene, he had left his child at a nearby crèche and was walking home with his wife, whose name was not disclosed.
Police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, confirmed that Zungu was walking along New Road with his wife when he was shot from behind by an unknown assailant.
“He took the victim’s firearm before leaving the scene of the crime. The motive for the killing has not yet been established,” said Netshiunda.
A close friend of Zungu, who did not want to be named for safety reasons, said there have been threats to Zungu’s life.
“He (told) his close friends that he has been receiving death threats. This was after the elections, that is why I think this is a political attack,” she said.
Another resident and member of the MKP described Zungu as a hard-working person in the political sphere and that this was a huge loss for the MKP.
“This is a big shock to the MKP. It is also just a month after another member of the party died mysteriously.
“Zungu was an elections manager during our campaign. He led the campaign work in the area. We believe that was the reason why we had almost 5 000 votes in almost all of our ballot papers.
“In our last meeting together, the night before, we were discussing how we should organise a way to thank the community for their support because we broke the record of reaching this level in such a short space of time,” he said.
The resident said that even though there may be rumours of this being a political attack, people should not jump to conclusions.
“Our leader, Jacob Zuma has taught us discipline and we should avoid accusing people or fighting back. We should allow the police to investigate and the law to deal with this matter. I want to say this to the community, we want peace in KwaZulu-Natal,” he said.
Last month Morgan Sihle Mbili died in a fire at his home in the same area.
Mbili was one of the leading members of the ANC a few years ago, before joining the MK Party recently.
This is the same ward in which eThekwini Municipality ward 101 candidate Siyabonga Mkhize was gunned down in October 2021.
The Cato Manor branch of the SAPS is investigating cases of murder and robbery.
The head of programmes for MKP in KZN, Musa Mkhize, said they were still in shock: “We do not believe in violence but we believe in development. We are disappointed because it is not the first time a leader of the party has been killed in this ward.
“It looks like this ward is not rooted in peaceful politics. It is disgraceful that people are killed this way.
“We are going to work with the communities. We are concerned that these attacks are still prevalent after 30 years of democracy in communities and it is ignored and not fully addressed and investigated by the police ministers. Minister Bheki Cele has failed the nation.
“We will continue to work with the people who voted for us in confidence, for education and safety. We will also make sure that the killers of our members are brought to book,” Mkhize said.
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