EFF condemns assassination attempt on Gauteng Chairperson Nkululeko Dunga

2 October 2024

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) strongly condemns the attempted assassination of our Gauteng Chairperson, Commissar Nkululeko Dunga, which took place in the early hours of this morning. This attack on his life occurred at his home, where his family, including his partner, two children and elderly grandmother, were present.

At approximately 12am, suspicious footsteps were heard on the roof, prompting Commissar Dunga's son to request a security check. By 2am, security personnel, while conducting his rounds, were ambushed and shot at by armed intruders who had positioned themselves on the roof. The security guard returned fire, engaging with at least three shooters before eight heavily armed assailants fled the scene by jumping over the wall. For two hours, these men lay in wait, ready to carry out what was clearly a coordinated and premeditated attempt on the life of a revolutionary leader.

Fortunately, no one's life was taken in this terrifying ordeal, but the gravity of this ambush cannot be understated. This was a deliberate, well-planned attempt on the life of one of our most prominent leaders in the Gauteng Province. The police responded professionally, arriving promptly to investigate the scene, and remained active from until 10 am. Bullet holes were identified, forensic teams gathered evidence, and fingerprints were collected.

While we commend the police for their diligence in this case, it is imperative to acknowledge the broader context of escalating political violence and lawlessness in South Africa. This assassination attempt on Commissar Dunga is part of a disturbing and growing trend of violence targeting political figures and whistleblowers across the country. The rising lawlessness and the ease with which guns for hire are deployed in these attacks reflect the state's failure to protect its citizens. With the murders of whistleblower Babita Deokoran and former West Rand District Muncipality Refentse Mangope, political violence is becoming alarmingly normalised.

The EFF calls for an urgent and thorough investigation into this attempted assassination. A case has been opened at Mondeor Police Station under case number 35/10/2024, and we demand that the perpetrators be brought to justice swiftly. The EFF will not be intimidated. We stand firmly behind our Gauteng Chairperson, his family, and every fighter who continues to speak truth to power in the face of grave danger.

Issued by Leigh-Ann Mathys, National Spokesperson, EFF, 2 October 2024