IFP response to KZN MEC for Community Safety Hlomuka's statement on political killings

6 October 2023

As the IFP we are against any form of violence, no matter who is involved. We welcome the announcement by the KZN MEC for Community Safety and Liaison, Sipho Hlomuka, that a Multi-Party Political Intervention Committee to deliberate on critical issues with regards to political killings and violence will be convened.

This Committee has been in existence since 2013. We hope the meeting will not become a talk shop, but that it will come up with tangible solutions to address crime and political killings.

Political killings are a cause for concern for the IFP.

However, we are confident that the police are on top of the situation. What concerns us more is that when people are arrested for assassinations, they do not reveal the person who ordered the killing.

We urge the Task Team to be thorough in its investigations to ensure that it has sufficient evidence before arresting people. This is to avoid raising the hopes of the families of the deceased, particularly if the accused are then released due to insufficient evidence.

In addition, the increasing availability of weapons has helped drive rising insecurity and crime in KZN. We reiterate our call that police must work towards eradicating illegal guns to ensure that the province is freed from ruthless criminals.

Lastly, we are concerned about the comments made by MEC Hlomuka, that the trend of assassinating Councillors in Nongoma started after the coalition by the NFP-ANC and EFF took over, and that when the IFP was in power there were no rampant attacks and threats to Councillors’ lives.

It is disingenuous of MEC Hlomuka to insinuate that the IFP is involved in the killing of Councillors in Nongoma.

We caution MEC Hlomuka to stop these dangerous utterances and the issuing of careless and inflammatory statements, as they could perpetuate political violence.

Many Councillors have been killed in Nongoma. The first Mayor in South Africa to be killed was Bhekuyise Sikhonde, who was the IFP Mayor in Nongoma. IFP Councillors such as Themba Ntshangase, Prince Mbongiseni Zulu and NFP Councillors Dumisani Qwabe and Ntombenhle Mchunu have also been killed.

To date, no one has told us who killed these IFP Councillors and others. Does MEC Hlomuka mean to imply that they committed suicide, were struck by lightning, or eaten by lions?

MEC Hlomuka must stop his slanderous propaganda exercise of attempting to deliberately mislead the nation by distorting facts about the IFP to suit his political agenda. Words matter. Leaders should be very cautious about the things they say, especially in public.

Issued by Blessed Gwala, IFP KZN Provincial Spokesperson for Community Safety and Liaison, 6 October 2023