Syndicates trying to capture Ekurhuleni procurement, says ANC after the killing of an adjudicator

The ANC in Ekurhuleni believes that syndicates are trying to gain control of the metro’s supply chain, this after the murder of procurement adjudicator Simnikiwe Mapini.

Mapini was shot and killed near Rand Airport while travelling with a colleague last week.

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A memorial service for Mapini was held at Germiston Hall on Wednesday.

The duo stopped at a red traffic light when two armed men allegedly exited another vehicle and started shooting at Mapini before fleeing the scene.

Gruesome killing

The mafia-style killing follows an alleged attempted murder of Ekurhuleni Metro‘s CFO Kagiso Lerutla in September, the party said.

“At this stage, we do not want to speculate, however, this remains a huge concern.

“This appears to be a syndicate aimed at forcing itself into procurement processes, if not capturing the City’s supply chain management.

“We implore the City to work closely with the police to swiftly institute investigations that will lead to the arrest of the perpetrators, internally and externally.

“What happened to Mr Mapini is gruesome, evil, and a shameless act that must receive the highest punishment,” the party said.

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Municipal officers under siege

Although the killing of municipal officials is not new to Gauteng, it is KwaZulu-Natal that experiences frequent killings compared to other provinces.

The ANC, IFP and NFP are the most affected parties and have lost countless members to murderers hired to take out those who stand in the way.

But in a recent incident, DA chief whip at Umngeni Municipality was gunned down at home in front of his family last week.

The DA believes the attack is linked to the ANC.

Lerutla, who joined the metro in 2014, was reportedly shot at by unknown individuals in Primrose.

The gunmen overtook him and stopped in front of his vehicle before opening fire. He managed to speed away and escape, according to media reports.

Police investigations on the two cases continue.

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