Mayor condemns uMlazi councillor’s ‘barbaric’ murder

ETHEKWINI Mayor Zandile Gumede has condemned the killing of African National Congress (ANC) Ward 88 Councillor Sibusiso David Maphumulo (32). Councillor Maphumulo, from uMlazi was shot dead on Thursday evening.

KZN police spokesman Colonel Thembeka Mbele said Maphumulo was in his stationary vehicle on the road at around 9.45pm when another vehicle pulled up next to him.

Mbele said that at 21:45, Maphumulo was in his Golf 6 stationary on the road when another Golf 6 stopped next to his vehicle.

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 “The suspects fired shots at him and he sustained gunshot wounds to the head. The suspects fled the scene in their getaway vehicle. The motive is still unknown,” he said, adding that a case of murder was opened for investigation at uMlazi SAPS.

Gumede, who visited the family on Friday morning, described the murder as barbaric and senseless.

“We are calling on police and law enforcement agencies to do everything in their power to root out crime and violence faced by public representatives. We urge them to leave no stone unturned in finding the perpetrators so they can face the full might of the law.”

Conveying her condolences to the family, Gumede said Councillor Maphumulo was dedicated to his work.

“He was one of the hardest working councillors in uMlazi. We have lost a great leader,” she said, urging the public to not take the law into their own hands but to rather relay any information they might have about the murder to police.

She went on to say the city would engage with provincial leadership to map a way forward on implementing stringent safety measures for councillors.
No arrests have been made. The motive for the killing is unknown.

According to a spokesman for the ANC in the province, a group of angry community members had threatened to burn down Maphumulo’s  house on the day that he was gunned down, however it is not known whether the two incidents are connected.

The news of Councillor Maphumulo’s murder comes while Council is still reeling from the sudden death of Ward 6 Councillor Nkosiphendule Alliam Dlamini who died earlier this week.

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