Councillor Siphiwe Zulu of Ward 51 passed away on the last day of 2015 after a shooting that took place at his home in Witpoortije.
Born June 5, 1964, Zulu (51) was raised in the Zola 3 community and was serving his third term as councillor.
He was highly regarded by some residents in the community and by his colleagues.
He began his education at Busisiwe Primary School and finished primary school at Isulihle Primary School and ended his secondary schooling at Dr. B.W. Vilakazi.
Zulu began his political career as an activist in secondary school when he joined student unions and later joined the ANC during the apartheid struggle.
“In his teenage years he used to go to school and would leave home for days on end and come back as if he went to go buy milk.
“When asked where he was, he would say he had camped at a friend’s place.
“Years later we would have police coming to our door step and that’s when we realised that our boy is now deep into politics and at that point, there was very little we could do about it.
“At some point he was detained during the struggle.
“The one thing I will miss the most about him is that he was forever smiling, even when he is arguing, he criticises you with a smile.
“Before the incident happened, I was with him here at home on December 30 and we were actually planning a family gathering for 2016.
“The following morning at around 7 am, I got the call saying that he had been shot at and admitted to Leratong Hospital.
“We went to visit him and we were denied access to see him, but we later came back during visiting hours.
“He could barely speak, taking short breaths after each sentence he uttered.
“He said he as arrived home, he saw a suspicious group of people near his home and then decided to take the long way around.
“When he approached home the second time there was no one there, so he opened the gate and entered the property.
“He said he left his car to close the first gate and went on to open the second gate and then went back to the car and parked it.
“When he went to close the second gate that’s when the group of men approached him and attacked him.
“As he tried to fight back and attempt to escape that’s when they shot at him twice in the stomach.
“After we spent some time with him at the hospital, we left and promised to come see him the following day.
“Later on the same day, we got a call saying that he had passed on.
“We have lost a firm, humble, and respectful pillar in the Zulu family and an active and caring father to the community.
“He will be greatly missed by his family, his wife and three children and the community at large,” said Raymond Zulu, his uncle.
