SA: Magaqa’s killers must not sleep, we will find them – Mbalula

Umzimkhulu – ANC NEC member and minister of police Fikile Mbalula has promised the family of slain former ANCYL secretary general Sindiso Magaqa that his killers would be found and arrested “because we know the witch is in the house”.

“His killers must not sleep, we will find them. Not just the killers but the ones who paid for the killers,” Mbalula said.

Mbalula was speaking at Magaqa’s memorial service held at a local sports ground in Umzimkhulu on Thursday.

He first visited Magaqa’s home where he held a private meeting with the family.

Magaqa, 35, died at a Durban hospital last Monday, following “an assassination attempt” on July 13.

‘They were friends’ 

Magaqa, Umzimkhulu’s Ward 11 councillor Nonsikelelo Mafa and Ward 16 councillor Jabu Mzizi were returning from an ANC regional meeting when they were shot by unknown assailants near his home in Ibisi.

“There’s no ANC member who kills another ANC member. Killers don’t belong in the ANC,” he said.

Mbalula said the ANC would only speak at Magaqa’s funeral on Saturday because “he was the son of the ANC”.

“If other political parties want to help they can but this is an ANC funeral,” he said.

Mbalula took a swipe at EFF leader Julius Malema for wanting to be part of the funeral.

“They were friends. We know they were disciplined together and some were fired. He never joined their party,” he said.

Trust fund

In 2011, Magaqa was part of the ANCYL top six with then-president Malema. After his suspension from the ANCYL, Magaqa went back to Ibisi and joined his local ANC branch.

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He also said a trust fund should be set up for Magaqa’s children “so they could pay for university”.

Many speakers at the memorial believed Magaqa was killed because he wanted to expose corruption in the Umzimkhulu municipality.

Mbalula said they’d noted complaints about corruption in the municipality.

“Hawks will look into the matter of corruption. Many people will be arrested in the coming days,” he said.

Mbalula also lambasted ANC members who lose during leadership contestations and take the ANC to court after the party’s elective conferences.

On KZN court ruling 

He asked why should the ANC NEC come to KZN now when the KZN PEC wants to appeal the decision of the High Court in Pietermaritzburg. The court ruled that the results of the 2015 elective conference were invalid.

“Those who took the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal to court did not report to the NEC, they did not consult. Now that those who were elected want to challenge them, they say the NEC must come here. We cannot be the first to come and divide you, we should unite you,” he said.

Thabiso Zulu, who was introduced as Magaqa’s colleague, said Magaqa left him with documents which expose corruption in the municipality.

 

He said he has taken those documents to the ANC’s provincial executive committee, police and the Hawks but nothing has been done.

He then asked Mbalula to intervene.

ANCYL secretary general Njabulo Nzuza said Magaqa was a soldier of “economic freedom in our lifetime”.

“He understood we cannot rest until our mineral wealth of South Africa only benefits a few. He knew we are in poverty because some people stole the country’s wealth from black people,” he said.

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Magaqa will be buried on Saturday.

 

 

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