Gunmen open fire on Mpumalanga ward councillor’s house

An ANC ward councillor from eMbalenhle, Mpumalanga, survived gunmen firing a number of shots at his house on Tuesday night.

Ward 4 councillor Simphiwe Sindelo arrived home from a meeting, parked his car and made his way into his home.

More than 10 shots were fired at the driver’s seat of his car. Gunmen then opened fire on the house, shooting at the kitchen door, Ridge Times reports.

According to police, more than 20 shots were fired.

The gang, reportedly made up of at least five suspects, then fled the scene.  

Sindelo and his family were unharmed.

A case of attempted murder has been opened, but the suspects are still at large.

ALSO READ: Three ANC KZN councillors gunned down in two weeks

KZN political killings

Over the past few weeks, at least three ANC councillors have been killed in KwaZulu-Natal.

Maphumulo municipality councillor Zakhele Khuzwayo was shot multiple times near Nothweni River last Thursday, provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naidoo told North Coast Courier.

The other two councillors represented eMsinga and eThekwini.

eThekwini Municipality Ward 99 councillor, Victor Molife, was shot and killed on 11 September, with details surrounding his death still not known, The Witness reported.

In January, 39-year-old Minenhle Mkhize was shot and killed outside his Durban home in January.

Several councillors and ward candidates were murdered last year, ahead of the local government elections held in November.

A spate of political killings in the province led to the establishment of the Moerane commission of inquiry by former premier Willies Mchunu.

ALSO READ: ANC councillor shot dead outside his house in Durban

Edited by Nica Richards. Additional reporting by Getrude Makhafola.

Parts of this article first appeared on Caxton publication Ridge Times’ website. Read the original article here.