ANC member shot dead during branch meeting in the Vaal

An ANC member was shot and killed in Rustervaal, outside Vereeniging, on Wednesday night at a meeting held to elect a candidate for the upcoming by-elections.

The woman was shot in her head and died on the scene.

Police spokesperson Captain Teboho Lephoto said she was among fellow ANC members who attended the meeting.

“It is alleged that while in the meeting inside a community hall, lights went off and everybody went outside. While outside the hall, members claimed that they heard multiple gunshots being fired and the woman was hit by a bullet in her head and died on the scene,” Lephoto said.

Police are investigating whether the bullet was intended for the woman.

Gauteng ANC spokesperson Jacob Khawe said they received three contradictory reports about the incident.

“One is that there was a fight outside the hall, following a presentation where our member was shot and killed. The second one is that some members were celebrating and fired bullets in the air which ultimately led to a stray bullet hitting the victim.

“The third is that some people in the community were firing guns in the air and… a stray bullet struck her in the head,” said Khawe.

He promised that they would meet police and leaders of the branch to establish the facts.

Khawe added: “As [the] leadership, we want a detailed report that we will present to the family of our member. Her family doesn’t want to hear contradictory statements. They want answers as to what had happened to their loved one.”

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