The fear of assassination, which has affected many parts of the KwaZulu-Natal political establishment, has now descended on the DA-run uMngeni Local Municipality.

This follows the slaying of DA councillor and uMngeni Municipality chief whip Nhlalayenza Ndlovu, who was gunned down at his home in KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday night in what appears to be a politically related hit.

Ndlovu’s wife and two children, aged five and six months, were in the house at the time, with their nanny. They were not physically harmed but are said to be in shock after witnessing the murder near where they were sitting in the living room.

Ndlovu’s murder is the second attack on a DA councillor in KZN in the past two months. On Sunday, 29 October, the home of DA Okhahlamba Municipality councillor Michael Buthelezi was burnt down.

Although Buthelezi survived with serious injuries, his entire family, including his wife and three children, died in the flames. According to the DA, evidence suggests the fire was lit deliberately.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Assassination nation – political contract killings escalate in KZN as hitmen are offered ‘job after job’ 

The DA’s KZN premier candidate and uMngeni Municipality Mayor Chris Pappas. (Photo: Gallo Images / Rapport / Deaan Vivier)

On Wednesday, Chris Pappas, the DA KZN deputy leader and mayor of the uMngeni Municipality, said Ndlovu’s murder left a deep void for the party and the municipality. 

He said the municipality was offering a reward of R100,000 for information leading to the arrest of those who killed Ndlovu.

“Cllr Ndlovu is another victim of the lawlessness of our country and the violence in our political system. We are determined to bring his killers to book. More importantly, because this was an organised crime, we are determined to find those behind this killing and ensure that there is justice. 

“Cllr Ndlovu cannot become another police statistic in the ongoing slaughter of councillors, Amakhosi and Izinduna in KwaZulu-Natal,” said Pappas.

“The failure to decisively deal with these matters, which have long been discussed, threatens to undermine our democracy, making KwaZulu-Natal akin to a province in anarchy; a state of disorder due to absence or other controlling systems.”

Pappas added: “The murder of Cllr Ndlovu only reassures us that the work that we are doing in uMngeni is of immense significance to the history of our province. Breaking the shackles of cadre deployment, mafia-like behaviour, nepotism, corruption and a failed political system is critical to restoring the trajectory of the country and the province.”

Read more in Daily Maverick: Salga calls on Ramaphosa and Cele to take action after another KZN councillor is murdered

Those close to Ndlovu say he knew his life was in danger but that he remained committed to his work. 

Prof Musa Xulu, a retired KZN-based academic, said although it was still too soon to determine who might be responsible for Ndlovu’s death, he did not rule out that it could be connected to the battle for control of uMngeni Municipality, or the work of people who were benefiting from the municipality before the DA took over.

“Councillor killings have in the past been associated with intra-political party contests for limited resources, especially in the IFP and ANC in KZN. Then came the killings of NFP councillors, which were generally seen as coming from their rivals, especially if they were ward councillors.

“The other hidden factor of killings is the access to tenders. The DA may be creating enemies among tenderpreneurs, where they have powers then run the tender taps dry,” Xulu said.

Independent election analyst Wayne Sussman said Ndlovu’s death will have a minimal impact on the balance of power in the uMngeni council as the DA has an unassailable lead over the ANC and EFF (the only two other parties represented in the council).

“It is very sad what has happened to the chief whip of the uMngeni Municipality council. The DA will fill the position. The DA is settled in power in uMngeni Municipality,” Sussman said.

“The only problem is that the fear of being killed has now descended to the municipality, and councillors there now will be fearful for their lives while carrying out their duties.” DM