Tshwarelo Hunter Mogakane
Pretoria - The ANC in Mpumalanga has lost its patience with the pace at which police are investigating the assassination of its regional deputy chairperson in Gert Sibande, Muzi Manyathi.
Manyathi, 41, was also a councillor at the Mkhondo Local Municipality.
He was gunned down at a fuel station in Piet Retief earlier this month.
“The provincial executive committee expresses its disappointment on the failure of the police in the province to arrest the killer of comrade Muzi Manyathi. We are also shocked and angered by the lack of interest displayed by the leadership of the Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison in the province on this matter,” said ANC provincial secretary Muzi Chirwa.
A section of the ANC view the provincial executive committee statement as an attack on their colleague, Vusi Shongwe, who is the political leader of the Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison.
Shongwe serves in the same provincial cabinet with ANC provincial chairperson Mandla Ndlovu and treasurer Mandla Msibi.
“Shongwe has always been a strong comrade in the province, with influence in the party. It is believed that he has taken a different approach in strategy towards the 55th ANC national conference. MEC Shongwe stands to be booted out of the provincial government come the end of December,” said a Mbombela ANC insider.
However, the provincial executive believes Manyathi deserves swift justice and someone should be held to account for the “lack of arrest” in his murder case.
Shongwe was unavailable for comment. Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala also did not respond to media questions.
Pretoria News