Abahlali baseMjondolo leader gunned down in Gauteng; SAFTU condemns murder

Zweli Mkhize, treasurer of the eNkanini branch of Abahlali baseMjondolo, was shot dead in Gauteng at the weekend. The treasurer of the eNkanini branch ofAbahlalibaseMjondolo, Zweli Mkhize, was allegedly assassinated last Thursday, in eNkanini, Ellandale, Gauteng. According to the organisation, Mkhize was at the home of a friend, when two men in a Renault arrived and immediately opened fire.

He was killed at the scene. Described by fellow members as honest, transparent and deeply committed to democratic processes, Mkhize was regarded as a trusted leader who prioritised the interests of his community. The movement said his assassination adds to a growing list of leaders from the organisation who have been killed over the past decade.

In the wake of Mkhize’s death, leaders in KwaZulu-Natal confirmed that political violence against members of the movement remains a persistent concern. Thapelo Mohapi ofAbahlalibaseMjondolo in KZN said that in 2022 alone, four leaders were lost, three of them in assassinations. According to Mohapi, two ward councillors were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2016 for the 2014 murder of Thuli Ndlovu, chairperson of the movement in KwaNdengezi Ward 12.Other leaders who have been killed over the years include Sifiso Ngcobo, Sbonelo Mpeku and Nkululeko Gwala.

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According to Mohapi, two ward councillors were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2016 for the 2014 murder of Thuli Ndlovu, chairperson of the movement in KwaNdengezi Ward 12. According to Mohapi, the movement has lost 25 leaders since 2009. Of those, 14 were killed in assassinations.

He maintains that the killings are politically motivated, with land at the focus of the conflict. “Land is at the centre of these killings,” Mohapi said. “There are those who want land to be used for profit, to be bought and sold, and the leaders ofAbahlaliare in the way of that.”

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