KZN political killings ‘have almost become normalised’

The high number of politically connected killings in KwaZulu-Natal are nothing new and may even escalate, as politics of principle have made way for politics of subsistence.

According to a political analyst, murder as a means to advance has almost become normalised. He believes it may be necessary for parties to revisit the criteria and processes used to deploy political representatives to local and national government, if they hope to stem the tide of murders of prominent political leaders.

President Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday had to shift his gaze from the continued pandemonium in North West to visit the family of ANC councillor Musawenkosi “Maqatha” Mchunu.

Mchunu, the regional branch convener for the ANC’s Moses Mabhida region, was shot and killed outside his home at KwaPata in Pietermaritzburg. Some have suggested that this –and other recent murders in the province – could be the result of internal squabbles while the party holds regional elective conferences ahead of the ANC’s upcoming provincial conference.

According to Benedict Dube, a political analyst at the Xubera Institute for Research and Development in Durban, there are two possible reasons for the killing.

“First, there is heavy contestation for positions within local and provincial structures. Secondly, these positions are attached to a guaranteed livelihood,” Dube explained.

“Take, as an example, someone who went to Nasrec and supported Cyril, as opposed to someone who supported Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

“They came back to the province assured of a position and a livelihood for the following five, or even 10 years, as Cyril is now in power.”

Dube believes that even among those backing the same candidates, the limited availability of positions means they may have to resort to desperate measures to eliminate competitors.

“It is a matter of politics of survival within factions and it won’t disappear soon,” he told The Citizen.

Mchunu’s murder came hot on the heels of an attempt on the life of KwaZulu-Natal-based National Teachers’ Union deputy president, Allen Thompson.

An Inkatha Freedom Party councillor in the Zululand district, Sibuyisele Dlamini, was also killed in an ambush between Ulundi and Nongoma this weekend.

“This proves that the issue of political violence knows no colour or political affiliation,” Dube said.

“It has nothing to do with principles any more and it is all about attaining positions.

“And unless we revisit the entire electoral system and revisit how people are deployed, it will only get worse.”

Dube also questioned the ability of Police Minister Bheki Cele to take the lead in quelling the violence, because Cele’s overt support for Ramaphosa made it clear that he backed a specific faction in the party, and he may not be trusted by the opposing factions.

Dube said this support of Ramaphosa by Cele, and former KwaZulu-Natal premier Senzo Mchunu, clearly illustrated his assertion that personal interests rather than principles guided politicians’ decisions.

“This shows that it has nothing to do with principle and it is all about survival.”

– earlc@citizen.co.za

Also read: http://ANC top brass meet in KZN over political killings

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