logo
Mamelodi councillor gunned down in drive-by shooting

Mamelodi councillor gunned down in drive-by shooting

TimesLIVE4 days ago
Gauteng police have opened a murder case after a councillor of Ward 10 in Mamelodi, Thabang Masemola, was gunned down on Tuesday in Mamelodi east.
According to the police, unknown suspects driving a white Nissan Almera allegedly shot at him and the motive for the shooting is unknown.
Police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko said the investigation is under way, and no arrests have been made.
The ANC Greater Tshwane region confirmed that Masemola was ambushed by unknown assailants Tuesday afternoon in Mamelodi.
'It is quite disturbing that the spate of killings of councillors is not receding at a quick enough pace, and it is getting more worrisome because many of these cases are never resolved with no successful arrests and convictions made,' said ANC regional spokesperson Bafuze Yabo.
'This killing opens up old wounds of other councillors who fell to the barrel of a gun, councillor Siphiwe Montlha of Soshanguve, councillor Esther Motumane of Winterveldt and councillor Tshepo Motaung of Mabopane,' Yabo said.
Yabo said the lack of arrests and successful prosecution of the perpetrators seems to have emboldened the killers to kill even more councillors.
The DA's Tshwane caucus chief whip Ofentse Madzebatela condemned the killing and extended condolences to the family.
'These barbaric acts of violence must be condemned unequivocally, as they threaten the very foundations of peace and dignity. Ward councillors are among the most selfless public servants, going beyond the call of duty, sacrificing their private and family time to serve the community,' Madzebatela said.
Madzebatela called upon police to act swiftly to bring the perpetrators to book.
'Public trust in the police has been deeply eroded due to years of corruption and unfulfilled promises. Considering the recent allegations of corruption brought by Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi, involving some of the country's top-ranking officials, residents feel even more unsafe.
'We demand justice for the Masemola family. Not only has a young politician been deprived of a promising career, but his family, the council and residents of Mamelodi are poorer for his loss,' he said.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and the shape of things to come
Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and the shape of things to come

Daily Maverick

time10 minutes ago

  • Daily Maverick

Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and the shape of things to come

While the immediate focus is likely to be on President Cyril Ramaphosa's response to the crisis in our policing cluster, the events of the past week might mark the start of a new era in our security services. As the ANC continues to weaken, there is now a greater risk that they become hopelessly politicised and riven with factions. In a worst-case scenario, they could even start to fall outside democratic control. There is no doubt about the seriousness of the disputes within the SAPS. This is perhaps the first time since 1994 that a President has decided to address the nation on issues relating to security, and disputes within that cluster. Perhaps the only incident which comes close to this is Ramaphosa's address to the nation during the violence in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July 2021. While the dynamics that have led to this recent set of claims by KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi are important, it is also important to remember how deep the roots of the politicisation of our police service are. Arguably, they go back to the decision by then President Thabo Mbeki to appoint Jackie Selebi as National Police Commissioner. Political boundaries It was not just that he was found to be corrupt, but that he also played what now appears to be a political role. His decisions to shut down specialised units were not rational at the time, and have never been properly explained. It is also well known that our police and security services played a factional role in the ANC. Aubrey Matshiqi has explained how, in 2007, he met members of the State Security Agency and advised them to remain neutral in the ANC's Polokwane national conference. As he records, they failed to do so. By October that year, the Constitutional Court had to rule in a case brought by then SSA head Billy Masethla, after Mbeki fired him over his apparent support for Zuma. The consequences of that ruling are still with us today. It was the first case in which judges said someone fired from a government position must be paid until the end of their term. Much has already been said, many times, about how former president Jacob Zuma used the security services. Richard Mdluli, his pick for police Crime Intelligence head, clearly played a political role in Zuma's service. Oscar van Heerden has written about an SSA room at the ANC's 2017 Nasrec conference. He says that when Ramaphosa became aware of it, he went to the room during one of his morning walks, burst open the door and asked those inside what it was for. ANC, security services hopelessly intertwined All of this shows how hopelessly intertwined the police and security services have become with the ANC. This also suggests that this dispute, between different people in the police and a politician, could be further proof of both the divisions in the party, and its weakness. There can be many elements in what places boundaries around the behaviour of people in leadership positions in the SAPS and the SANDF. But two related points must be the political authority and the legitimacy of those voted into office. In other words, even if a police minister does not have the legal authority to order a police commissioner to take certain actions, a minister who is seen to have political authority and political power might find the commissioner follows their suggestion. Also, if the president is seen to have legitimacy while SAPS leaders do not, it might follow that they would always follow his or her lead. If there is a leader without legitimacy, it would be easier to disobey them. It would also follow that if, in a society where so many call for tough action against criminals, or illegal immigrants or any other group, those who lead the security services could believe they have more legitimacy than democratically elected leaders. Political authority and legitimacy Especially if, as in the case of Mkhwanazi, they are seen by the public to be successful. This may explain his strange social media campaign. This might increase the potential for police and military leaders to pursue their own agendas. It seems unlikely that someone like Mkhwanazi might have held a public press conference to attack the police minister of a president as powerful as Zuma or Mbeki were at the height of the ANC's power. Unfortunately, it is likely that our politicians will begin to have less and less political authority and legitimacy. This will make it harder for them to exercise authority, whether moral, political or legal, on those who run different units or parts of the military and the police. There is much to be afraid of here. Matshiqi warned on Newzroom Afrika on Friday that a situation could even develop where a particular figure can behave in the way J Edgar Hoover did in the US from the 1940s. While head of the FBI, he kept files and conducted campaigns against many people in public life. No one felt they could act against him – even presidents did not take him on directly. Over time, Hoover came to amass huge power. This was largely because he could use state resources to spy on people, to conduct phone taps and generally monitor people he was suspicious of. KZN dynamics Matshiqi is entirely correct; it is easy to imagine such a figure emerging here. So fraught could our politics, and our coalitions become, that such a person might even accumulate secret political power. It is no accident that this latest set of claims involves dynamics in KZN. While the individuals and their characters and decisions are important, there may be other factors at play. The politics of KZN may point to the future of our national politics. It is a province that has been governed by the IFP, the ANC, and now a coalition of the IFP, the ANC and the DA. Meanwhile, it has another major political actor in the uMkhonto WeSizwe party. Voters there have changed their minds more often than in other parts of the country, partly because it has had a greater number of bigger parties and partly because it has a bigger set of issues (to oversimplify: in most places political contests have been between the ANC and the DA, in KZN it's always been the IFP, the ANC and the DA). As the rest of the country also now has more parties to choose from, so is it likely that more police and military leaders support different groups, or different factions in different parties. This underscores one of the risks of having no central point of political authority. Of course, there are other possible outcomes. Many parties in government may work together to properly depoliticise the security services. That people who are not aligned to any one group or party are appointed, and then continue to conduct themselves in that way. It is also possible that the character of those in these positions forces them to create new conventions that separate their roles from politics. Over time, those coming up through the ranks would adopt this into the culture of these organisations.

'South Africans tired of commissions of inquiry': parties on Ramaphosa's response to Mkhwanazi allegations
'South Africans tired of commissions of inquiry': parties on Ramaphosa's response to Mkhwanazi allegations

TimesLIVE

time2 hours ago

  • TimesLIVE

'South Africans tired of commissions of inquiry': parties on Ramaphosa's response to Mkhwanazi allegations

Political parties have cautiously welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa's decision to establish a commission of inquiry to look into explosive allegations by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, saying previous inquiries yielded little results. Addressing the nation on Sunday evening, Ramaphosa announced he was placing minister of police Senzo Mchunu on special leave, and said and that Prof Firoz Cachalia would act as police minister. Ramaphosa also announced he has established a judicial commission of inquiry chaired by acting deputy chief justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga to investigate allegations relating to the infiltration of law enforcement, intelligence and associated institutions within the criminal justice system by criminal syndicates. This comes after explosive allegations levelled against Mchunu by Mkhwanazi last Sunday. Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu of interfering with police investigations and of overstepping his role when he ordered the disbandment of the political killings task team. ActionSA said it sees no logic in yet another commission of inquiry carrying out work that law enforcement and agencies like Ipid should be doing, especially while the R1bn Zondo commission report into state capture gathers dust as those who committed treason continue to evade justice. DA leader John Steenhuisen welcomed the new appointment made by Ramaphosa, but also expressed concern over the decision to establish a commission of inquiry. In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Steenhuisen said many South Africans are sceptical about commissions of inquiry after the Zondo inquiry produced no convictions, even after people were named. He added that the public's trust might deteriorate if there is another inquiry that yields no consequences. GOOD party secretary-general Brett Herron said the appointment of a commission, while well-intentioned, is too slow, too cumbersome and too costly. 'We have walked this road before, most notably with the Zondo commission, and we have seen that a commission of inquiry cannot replace a criminal investigation. The Zondo commission produced volumes of prima facie evidence, which the investigating authorities were then required to investigate before any decision to prosecute could be made,' he said. Herron said allegations made by Mkhwanazi demand an urgent and credible criminal investigation, not another year-long process the outcomes of which might never be acted on. RISE Mzansi welcomed the establishment of a commission of inquiry. The party feels that a judicial commission of inquiry is important because the SAPS and the minister cannot investigate themselves. 'The establishment of this inquiry insulates the process from political contamination,' said Makashule Gana, RISE Mzansi National Assembly caucus whip and member of the portfolio committee on police. Meanwhile Mchunu has welcomed Ramaphosa's decision to place him on special leave, saying he fully supports the process. 'I welcome and respect the president's decision and pledge my commitment to the process. Honour and integrity are the virtues I personally subscribe to and which we all need to make efforts to uphold. I stand ready to respond to the accusations against me and account to the citizens of the republic, fully and honestly so,' Mchunu said in a statement.

Video: Police minister on leave amid allegations by KZN police commissioner
Video: Police minister on leave amid allegations by KZN police commissioner

The Citizen

time2 hours ago

  • The Citizen

Video: Police minister on leave amid allegations by KZN police commissioner

After citizens waited with bated breath longer than expected, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation earlier tonight regarding national security concerns raised by KZN's police commissioner. Some of the allegations made by Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi include interference in investigations, disbanding the Political Killings Task Team, links to criminal syndicates, collusion with accused individuals, and misleading Parliament. Exactly a week on from these scathing remarks, and due to the president's Brics commitments, Ramaphosa announced that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has been placed on a leave of absence with immediate effect. The president added that Mchunu has promised to give his full co-operation into an investigation launched by Ramaphosa. This contrasts with earlier media reports suggesting the president had three options regarding the minister: Reassigning him, awaiting his voluntary resignation, or applying the ANC's step-aside rule if he is officially under investigation. Furthermore, a judicial commission of inquiry has been established to investigate these allegations and several other matters, including compromised individuals and legislation. It will be chaired by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga. The commission will provide an interim report after three months and another after six months. Until August, an acting police minister will be appointed from within Cabinet. Thereafter, Prof Firoz Cachalia, a former Gauteng MEC and current adjunct professor at Wits University, will serve in the position until the next steps are taken. Police Minister spokesperson Kamogelo Mogotsi in a statement said Mchunu has welcomed the decision and expressed his full support for the process. 'I welcome and respect the president's decision and pledge my commitment to the process. Honour and integrity are the virtues I personally subscribe to and which we all need to make efforts to uphold. I stand ready to respond to the accusations against me and account to the citizens of the Republic, fully and honestly so.' Watch the full speech by the president: Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store