Ramaphosa demands end to political killings in KZN
15 May 2018
President Cyril Ramaphosa has demanded political killings in KwaZulu-Natal come to an end after a spate of deaths in the province in recent weeks.
"We want these killings to stop with immediate effect. We do not want to see any further killings in the province. We want these problems resolved through dialogue and discussion. The lives of our people are too precious to be consumed by the deaths visited upon [them]."
Ramaphosa was speaking at Coastlands Hotel in Durban after meeting with provincial and regional leadership to discuss the wave of killings.
He said the ANC leadership was particularly concerned with the number of deaths in the Moses Mabhida region where 14 people have been killed since 2017.
"We are here giving due attention to this matter and see if we can get to the bottom of it."
Ramaphosa said that together with leaders in the province he had met with the family of recently slain ANC activist Musawenkosi Maqatha Mchunu, who was ambushed and killed in a hail of bullets on Saturday.
Moerane report
"We were able to visit the family and meet people in the area and passed our condolences to families."
One week ago ANC Oshabeni branch treasurer in the Lower South Coast region Sifiso Cele was also murdered as his family got ready for the day.Ramaphosa said he would receive reports on investigations into the killings in KwaZulu-Natal from the ministries of police and justice.
The president added that he was also looking forward to the Moerane Commission report on political killings in the province."I hope this report from the premier will give us a holistic view of killings."Earlier on Monday head of the ANC presidency Zizi Kodwa said the killings "pose a threat to our work, unity and smooth running of the regional conferences".
He said the regions that were of most concern were Lower South Coast, Moses Mabhida and Harry Gwala because the killings seemed planned.
'Plot to destabilise ANC in KwaZulu-Natal'
"These are not just issues of law enforcement. These are issues of people being killed while going to or leaving ANC meetings. It appears to be an orchestrated elimination of ANC leaders."
Kodwa added that there was a clear plot to destabilise the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal. He said Monday's meeting was an effort by the party's leadership "to find a solution".
"Everyone is becoming impatient with the slow rate of arrests with the killings. We need to know what is behind it and what the motive is. Police and [other] agencies must show their teeth and bite."
Political killings in KwaZulu-Natal have shot up to more than 100 since 2014. The recent spate of killings comes as regional conferences take place in the province.
