Durban – Tensions are said to be rife in IFP ranks in Msinga Local Municipality after its councillor, who survived an assassination attempt, named party mayor Mlethi Ndlovu as the one who attacked them.
In a video that is currently circulating on social media platforms, Lungisani Blessing Ntuli, who survived the attack in which his colleague, councillor Siyanda Magubane, was gunned down two weeks ago, was speaking at Magubane’s funeral in Msinga on the weekend when he dropped the bomb.
To the shock of many mourners at the funeral, Ntuli turned to the side where officials were seated, including the mayor, and asked: Mhlonishwa mayor Gatsheni (Ndlovu’s clan) you were not supposed to kill us like this.
People in the marquee erupted into into scream of disbelief and the police officer grabbed Ntuli and escorted him from of the funeral.
“It was like a storm but at the end, it was like seeing a rainbow after the storm. I opened my eyes and I saw him. Let me cut the long story short, honourable Mr Ndlovu, you were not supposed to kill us like that,” said Ntuli in a video clip.
The mayor denied the allegations and said he would follow IFP advice on the matter.
Magubane, who was a ward 11 councillor, and Ntuli were travelling in a car to ward 19 when the gunmen sprayed their car with bullets.
A councillor from the municipality, who spoke to the Daily News on condition of anonymity for fear of his life, said Magubane – who was also the chairperson of the Municipality Public Accounts Committee – had a fallout with the mayor.
The fallout was reportedly about Magubane siding with the opposition in matters of fighting corruption which angered the mayor.
The councillor said Ntuli as the chairperson of the Technical and Infrastructure committee could also be targeted because of people who wanted tenders in his department through underhanded means.
The video drew condemnation from various parties. The NFP was the first to call on the mayor to step aside while the police investigated. The ANC also weighed in on the saga, calling on communities and everyone else who had information on the murder of Magubane to come forward.
IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said his party viewed the development in a serious light. With immediate effect, the party secretary-general dispatched a team of the national council to investigate the statements issued by Ntuli and allegations against mayor Ndlovu.
Police spokesperson, Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo, said the matter was still under investigation by the police’s political task team headed by Police Minister Bheki Cele.
Daily News
