Durban - There was a lot of bad blood between the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the National Freedom Party (NFP) members at Unit 17 hostel in Umlazi in 2012, the Moerane Commission heard on Thursday.
Sizwe Shadrack Gwala told the commission, which is investigating the underlying causes of political killings in KwaZulu-Natal, that his brother Mthunzi Innocent Gwala was one of the "many" who were killed at the hostel that year.
"There were disputes and people were killed. There were many of them, I cannot give a specific figure," he said.
He said his brother was killed because he became a member of the NFP when it was introduced at the hostel in 2012.
"Before that he was a member of the IFP," he said.
Dominant representation
Mthunzi was killed on July 14, 2012, allegedly by IFP members.
The NFP was formed by Zanele KaMagwaza-Msibi who was a former chair of the IFP.
Prior to the arrival of the NFP at the hostel, the IFP had the dominant representation.
The commission is being chaired by Advocate Marumo Moerane in Durban. It was established by Premier Willies Mchunu.
On Thursday morning it heard that Mthunzi was killed after a "political argument" at a tavern in the hostel situated at T section in Umlazi.
"When we arrived at the tavern, an IFP member said he doesn't drink with NFP members. My brother wore an NFP t-shirt that day," said Sizwe.
Sizwe said while they were on their way home, they argued about something with his brother.
"I left him and Skibha [who was with them at tavern] on the road and went to sleep in my room," he said.
Acquitted
Later that day, he was woken up by people who told him his brother had been killed.
He said nobody was convicted for Mthunzi's death.
Two men were tried and acquitted at the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Durban, the commission heard.
"Police did their work but my family is not happy with the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority]. There were witnesses who were not called to testify. I'm the only one who was called to testify," he said.
He claimed the prosecution never explained to his family why those witnesses were not called.
The family would like the commission to refer the matter to the NPA, he said.
He said the two men accused of murdering his brother were themselves brothers of the man who had the "political argument" with them at the tavern.
Prior to the tavern incident, Mthunzi had witnessed some IFP members trying to assassinate an NFP member, identified only as Mr Thabethe at the commission.
"The people who killed my brother were the same people who wanted to kill Mr Thabethe," he said.
He believed the two politically related incidents led to his brother's death.
The hearing continues.
