Gunned down IFP candidate 'had a lot to contribute'

20 June 2016

Durban – The Inkatha Freedom Party is calling on the KwaZulu-Natal multi-party task team to investigate the killing of a candidate in Ward 3 in Abaqulusi on Friday, the party said on Monday.

IFP national chairperson Blessed Gwala condemned the killing of Alson Mzwakhe Nkosi, 44, saying the party did not know what the motive for the killing was.

The party had previously told News24 that none of its members had been killed in the lead up to the August 3 local government elections. About 10 people - all ANC members - have been killed in the province in what appears to be politically motivated killings.

"We demand that [multi-party] task team which has been set up by Premier Willies Mchunu to investigate the killing of ANC members to also investigate the killing of Mr Alson Nkosi.

"This task team must extend its scope to include all killings not just the killings of ANC members," said Gwala.

He said the police must investigate and bring the killers to book.

"It is unacceptable that as we approach the local government elections in a few weeks, we are witnessing the wanton killing of our people.

"Mr Nkosi was a leader in his community and had a lot to contribute to governance in the area. We cannot afford to have families torn apart by such violent acts. We need to have stability in all communities so that voters will go out and vote on election day."

This article first appeared on News24, see here.