Amajuba District speaker gunned down
Cllr Ndima was shot dead by gunmen who were waiting for him outside his home.
Speaker of the Amajuba District Council, Cllr Reginald Bhekumndeni Ndima (58), was gunned down at his Ncandu Park home in the early hours of this morning. Police sources stated Cllr Ndima was shot by unknown people while he was closing the gate after parking his car in the garage. It is believed his wife and children, who were asleep in the house, were awoken by the gunshots outside. Cllr Ndima’s family found him lying in the driveway and rushed him to hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. No suspects have been arrested as yet and the investigation is ongoing. Cllr Ndima was appointed Speaker when a coalition of opposition parties made it possible for the IFP to take over as the ruling party in Amajuba, following the 2021 Local Government Elections.
During his inauguration on November 30 at the Farmers Hall, he promised to serve the community with respect and integrity, and vowed to add value to the council. “I want to take the municipality to the next level,” he said.
Amajuba District Mayor, Cllr Vuselwa Bam, visited Cllr Ndima’s family early this morning to offer condolences and pay her respects. Cllr Bam described Cllr Ndima as the backbone of the council.
“He was like a brother to me. I can’t believe this has happened,” she said. “I may be the Mayor of the Council, but he was the head of the family at Amajuba as the Speaker…”
It was in a WhatsApp message that Cllr Bam first heard of the incident and she was about to rush to the hospital when she learned that he had succumbed. “What I know is that he left his home at about 18:00 the previous day and returned just after midnight. Whoever shot him must have been waiting for him to return and they must have been monitoring his movements. They seemed to know he would return to close the gate after parking the car inside, because that’s when they shot him. His wife said that when she went outside to check on him, she found him moaning in pain,” said Cllr Bam. “Cllr Ndima was a very kind person but also very straightforward. He would never compromise his beliefs for anything and if he didn’t like something you said, he wouldn’t hesitate to let you know. He had a lot of experience in local government and I always consulted with him before taking any decisions because he knows the law. I will miss him,” she concluded.
