THURSDAY, 2.00PM
The special investigation team tracking the killers of five African National Congress members, including two newly elected councillors, in Richmond in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands have narrowed down their suspect list.
Police spokesman Superintendent Henry Budhram said the investigators, headed by Director Bushy Engelbrecht, are now concentrating on finding only three suspects: Patrick “Bob” Ndlovu, Soren Njalo and Nthoko Ntuli Ndlovu. “Warrants of arrest have been issued for these three men, whom we consider the most wanted men in the province. We would also like to question them in connection with a number of other attacks in the region,” said Budhram.
Budhram added that allegations of police involvement in the assassinations have been handed to the Independent Complaints Directorate for investigation.
THURSDAY, 8.00AM
The former station commander of Richmond, Captain John Meeding, now acting chief of all investigations in the Kwa-Zulu-Natal Midlands, says he will go to court to prevent his redeployment (see below). Meeding, accused by the ANC of striking a deal with local warlord Sifiso Nkabinde, says he has done nothing improper.
WEDNESDAY, 8.00AM
SAFETY and Security minister Sydney Mufamadi is to ask police chief George Fivaz to defuse tensions in Richmond, scene of multiple political murders last week, by redeploying local policemen elsewhere.
Mufamadi met with Richmond’s mayor and councillors yesterday to discuss the recent murders of six ANC members in the area, including three councillors. Witneses have blamed local policemen. “I am not saying the police are guilty,” said Mufamadi, “but in order to ensure normalisation of relations between police and community, I will ask the police comissioner to redeploy them.”
Mufamadi also said he would recommend public hearings into the allegations against police, and that the matter be referred to the Independent Complaints Directorate.
Meanwhile police said that “new information” had changed the thrust of the investigation, and police were no longer searching for the two Gauteng policemen suspected last week. But a reward of R200 000 has been offered for the arrest of Bob Ndlovu, a former ANC self defence unit member, wanted for several murders in the area, including killing three policemen last year.