A senior African National Congress (ANC) official has been arrested in connection with the death of Sindiso Magaqa and is due to appear in court today.
An Umzikhulu District Municipality mayor and former ANC deputy secretary in KwaZulu-Natal is expected to appear in the Umzimkhulu Magistrate’s Court today, 18 March 2019. This is in connection to the murder of former ANC Youth League secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa, who was murdered in 2017. The suspect has been arrested along with a municipal manager, two former Tactical Response Team (TRT) members and a businessman. All five suspects cannot be named until their court appearance.
Magaqa, who was sitting with two other councillors in his car, was ambushed by gunshots on 13 July 2017. Magaqa sustained multiple bullet wounds and was hospitalized for over a month when he later succumbed to the injuries and died in September 2017.
Speaking to TimesLive shortly after the arrests, Jabulile Msiya, who was one of the councillors who were with Magaqa during the shootout, said she is not surprised that a senior ANC official has been arrested for Magaqa’s murder.
“I am not surprised that a senior comrade has been arrested, I am shocked but also relieved,” she said.
Police Minister Bheki Cele’s spokesperson Reneilwe Serero confirmed the arrest.
“I can confirm that a senior official from Harry Gwala District municipality has been arrested. At this stage I cannot divulge the name until their court appearance which will be in the next 48 hours,” she said.
Abenathi Gqomo
a.gqomo@politicalanalysis.co.za
