The botched assassination attempt on Samora Ndlovu, a senior ANC leader in KwaZulu-Natal has ignited fear of resurgence of politically linked violence in the province.
It’s believed that the 43-year-old Ndlovu had been driving alone on Tuesday night along R56 near the small rural town of Richmond when another vehicle suddenly appeared from nowhere, blocking his way. An unidentified man is alleged to have alighted from the vehicle and then fired a volley of shots directed at Ndlovu’s vehicle - leaving him for dead. Ndlovu however survived the attempt on his life and was subsequently rushed to a local health facility where he is currently being treated for gunshot injuries.
Ndlovu is a former mayor of Richmond and an ex secretary-general for ANC’s Moses Mabhida region covering mainly Pietermartzburg and other areas bordering seven local municipalities. He is also a member of the ANC regional task team.
The ANC described the assassination attempt on Ndlovu as cowardly and shocking.
“We are relieved to confirm that comrade Samora is currently in hospital and receiving care. We wish him a swift and full recovery and call upon our community to keep him and his family in their thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. The ANC in the Moses Mabhida region strongly condemns the act of violence. We call on the South African Police Service (SAPS) to conduct a thorough and full investigation into this matter to ensure that those responsible for this heinous act are swiftly brought to book,” the party said on Wednesday.
The ANC further called for peace and calm among the party’s rank file in the region.
“We urge our members and the community at large to remain vigilant and allow the law enforcement agencies to do their work without interference. We must not allow acts of criminality to destabilise our movement and our community,” it said.
The attempt on Ndlovu’s life follows hot on the heels of the killing of two IFP councillor candidates and an ANC councillor in the province known as the hotbed for political violence.
Last month, Lucky Sokhela, an IFP councillor candidate under the uMshwathi local municipality was gunned down shortly after arriving at his home. Sokhela had allegedly been followed by unknown assailants driving in a VW vehicle. In August, another IFP councillor candidate was ambushed by gunmen at his home in Ophindweni under the uMlalazi local municipality. He was fired with several shots, in full view of his family members, including his children. In the same month, Sibusiso Cedric Khwela, an ANC councillor, was attacked and killed while in a meeting with community members after an assassin pretended to be needing assistance before firing lethal shots at Khwela. Khwela was attacked in Klaarwater which is part of eThekwini metro
Over the years, KwaZulu-Natal has seen a spate of political killings which prompted the establishment of the Moerane Commission to probe the root cause of the assassinations. The political killings task team was also established, whose role was to effect the arrests of key masterminds behind the killings.