Cape Town – The ANC in the Eastern Cape is outraged by the recent killings of its hard-working councillors in the province.
The most recent incident involved the murder of ANC Ward 2 councillor Mzikayise Saki in Dutywa.
According to IOL, Saki was attacked and strangled while walking home, and his girlfriend, who was with him, was allegedly raped.
While the motive for the killing is still unknown, the police have arrested two suspects in connection with the crime.
“Two suspects, aged 27 and 29 years, were arrested soon after the murder of a councillor and the rape of his 28-year-old girlfriend during the early hours of Sunday, 2 July 2023, in Dutywa.
“It is alleged that at about 3am, the ward councillor, Mzikayise Saki, 45, and his girlfriend were on their way home from a local tavern when they were accosted by the suspects.
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“Saki was strangled to death while the woman was taken to a vandalised house near a stadium and allegedly raped,” the report quoted Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu as saying.
The ANC in the province has strongly condemned the recent incident, describing it as barbaric and brutal, News24 reported.
Party spokesperson Gift Ngqondi expressed their sadness and called the murder a loss of a dedicated member in their efforts to improve community services.
“We strongly condemn this senseless murder and we are saddened by the loss of yet another foot soldier in the battle to bring adequate services closer to our communities.
“We call on our communities to form organs of people’s power such as street committees and community policing forums and partner with law enforcement agencies in the fight against crime,” the report quoted Ngqondi as saying.
This was not the first such incident, as another ANC councillor in the Mbhashe Local Municipality, Nomxolisi Nqwena-Maliwa, was shot dead in February.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
