“When people are in a car roaming through the community and people are being shot at random and in quick succession – our experience tells us that there is a hit squad.”

Mthembu was speaking at a press briefing on the  murders  of six people, from the SACP and the ANC, in Inchanga, Durban, in the past two weeks.

This brings the total number of political killings in the area to 12 for 2016.

Despite a strain in the relationship between the provincial SACP and ANC earlier in the year, Mthembu assured journalists that the alliance partners had resolved their disputes.

He said there appeared to be a small group of people who sought to destabilise the area.

“The most recent killing was Zazi Mthembu, a normal community member. We need the authorities to get to the bottom of this and also get these guns out of the community.”

Reluctance from the provincial ANC

Mthembu did, however, say that local Inchanga SACP structures indicated that there appeared to be reluctance from the ANC in the province to  help ease  conflict  in the community.

He said the ruling party did not prioritise the area and instead heavily relied on regional leadership “who have never shown any will and interest to arrest the conflicts and confrontations in Inchanga”.

Responding, ANC provincial secretary Super Zuma said the ruling party had agreed not to engage with its alliance partners publically.

He said the ANC would be meeting with the SACP on Thursday to discuss the Inchanga killings.

“We are trying to hold a meeting on the alliance on Thursday to look at the situation and come up with plans in trying to stabilise the situation. It is a sensitive matter and we are dealing with that.”

He continued: “The situation is very tense, it is important that in whatever we do, we don’t point fingers at each other. We are feeling that on Thursday we will come up with a clear plan on what to do for the situation.”

A call for calm

SACP chairperson and resident of Inchanga, James Nxumalo, called for calm in the area.

“We call for calm and tolerance in the area to allow the police to do their investigations and allow perpetrators to be brought to book.”

Nxumalo said that while he did not fear for his own life, he was concerned for community members.

“We cannot allow people to just drive around and start shooting people. We need this to stop.” DM

Source: News24.

Photo: SACP KZN Secretary Themba Mthembu (Photo by Independent Media)