Ses’khona People’s Rights Movement president and ANC member of the Western Cape legislature Andile Lili has accused the State Security Agency of sleeping on the job while criminals terrorise citizens. 

Lili was speaking at activist Loyiso Nkohla’s memorial service in Khayelitsha on Tuesday. The two were close friends.

Nkohla died in a hail of bullets at the Philippi train station last week. 

Slain activist Loyiso Nkohla on 23 June 2016 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Gallo Images / Beeld / Nasief Manie)

The 40-year-old came into the national spotlight in 2013 when he and Lili led a group of people who dumped faeces on the steps of the Western Cape legislature to protest against Khayelitsha residents’ inadequate sanitation. The “poo protests” resulted in Nkohla being charged with violation of the Civil Aviation Act, after he and a few others were caught on camera dumping human waste at Cape Town International Airport. 

Read more in Daily Maverick: Shock and sadness after former ‘poo fighter’ Loyiso Nkohla gunned down in Philippi

Lili said Nkohla had been involved in a big project, helping to restore the train service in and around Philippi. 

“There are different groupings which could have targeted him,” he said. 

“There are businesses that do not want the train service to be restored…  where is the country’s intelligence in these big government projects?… there are extortion gangs operating in these areas and the intelligence is sleeping.”

Nyameka, wife of Loyiso, her son Mangaliso and Mamphela Ramphele during the memorial service of Loyiso Nkohla Mabandla (40) at Mew Way Hall in Khayelitsha on April 25, 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa. Nkohla was shot and killed in broad daylight by gunmen who stormed inside the former Browns Farm Police Station. (Photo by Gallo Images/Brenton Geach)

Dr Mamphela Ramphele at the memorial service for Loyiso Nkohla. (Photo: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)

Lili took a swipe at his own political party, the ANC, saying the party’s National Executive Committee only promises to look at how the State Security Agency is failing but never takes decisive steps to address the challenges. 

It was also revealed during the memorial service that a woman who was injured during the shooting tried to shield Nkohla from the bullets by throwing herself on top of him.

A ‘unifier’ of parties

The service was also attended by former anti-apartheid activist Dr Mamphela Ramphele, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula and former ANC Western Cape leader Marius Fransman. 

DA councillor Malusi Booi also made his first public appearance since he was fired from his mayoral committee post a month ago. His office was raided by the police as part of a fraud and corruption investigation.

The memorial service for Loyiso Nkohla was held at Mew Way Hall in Khayelitsha on 25 April 2023. (Photo: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)

Hundreds of people attended the memorial service for Loyiso Nkohla at Mew Way Hall in Khayelitsha on 25 April 2023. (Photo: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)

All the speakers hailed Nkohla as a true activist who was a unifier of all political parties and activists in the Western Cape. 

Friend and fellow activist Mbulelo Dwane proposed that the train station where Nkohla was murdered be named after him. 

Read more in Daily Maverick: Loyiso Nkohla — a life of activism cut short by a hail of bullets

“I do not think we should debate about that,” he said. “We will make submissions and push Prasa to rename the station after him. Nkohla leaves behind his two kids and Prasa should open a trust fund account for the kids. Nkohla played a very important role in Prasa’s bid to restore trains.” 

Mbalula, who worked with Nkohla when he was transport minister, said that at the time of his death they were discussing his return to the ANC. 

He said Nkohla’s spirit lives on and those left must do everything in their power to complete his work. DM