Latest news with #SindisoMagaqa
IOL News
12 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Minister Ntshavheni welcomes recent developments in Magaqa murder
Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has briefed the media on various issues of national importance following a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Image: GCIS Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has welcomed the confession made by one of the suspects linked to the 2017 murder of ANC Youth League leader Sindiso Magaqa. This comes as reports suggest that when the three accused appear in the Pietermaritzburg High Court next week, a former senior official from the KwaZulu-Natal south coast municipality who is thought to have been one of the masterminds behind Magaqa's murder may be added. This official was named by the confessed hitman, Sibusiso Ncengwa, when he pleaded guilty last week. On Thursday, Ntshavheni briefed members of the media on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, June 11, 2025. "For the July 2017 killing of former ANC Youth League leader, Sindiso Magaqa, Cabinet takes political killings seriously, more so because the victims are people who are committed to the fight against corruption in municipalities and government. We are hopeful that this breakthrough will shed further light on other players," she said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The minister also reflected on a range of issues, including the scourge of GBVF, the work of the police, the extreme weather conditions which have resulted in the deaths of 57 people in the Eastern Cape, as well as the recently announced National Dialogue and the reported new Covid-19 variant in 22 parts of the world. "On the extreme weather conditions in the Eastern Cape, Cabinet extends its condolences to the families of those who lost their lives during the flooding across various areas in the Eastern Cape. Several families have also been displaced, and infrastructure has been damaged. Minister Hlabisa has just recorded that to date 57 victims have been recorded and further work is being done to retrieve the remains of the victims," she said. On the fiscal framework, which was adopted by the National Assembly on Wednesday, Ntshavheni welcomed the new framework, but expressed concern about the low economic growth, which grew by 0.1% in the last quarter. On Wednesday, while opposition parties rejected the Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals that underpin the 2025 Budget, GNU parties have come out in support of the revised Budget, saying it is a product of compromises to achieve much-needed economic growth. "On the issues of the economy and economic growth, the Cabinet noted the Gross Domestic Product figures as released by Stats SA, indicating that the economy grew by 0.1% in the first quarter of 2025. This follows an increase of 0.4% in the fourth quarter of 2024. "Among others, agriculture, forestry, and the fishing industry increased by 15.8%, whereas the transport, storage, and communications industry increased by 2.5%. Furthermore, the catering and accommodation industry increased by 0.5%, and Cabinet remains concerned by the decline in the manufacturing industry, and we await the finalised report on the industry," she said.
eNCA
2 days ago
- eNCA
Hitman's confession in Magaqa murder trial reveals rot within ANC
JOHANNESBURG - One of the men accused of killing Sindiso Magaqa has pleaded guilty to the 2017 murder. Sibusiso Ngcengwa has also implicated former uMzimkhulu mayor, the late Mluleki Ndobe, in the hit on Magaqa, a former secretary general of the ANC Youth League. Legal analyst, Melusi Xulu, believes Ngcengwa is trying to save himself.
IOL News
2 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Breakthrough in Sindiso Magaqa murder case: one accused pleads guilty
Sindiso Magaqa, a rising star within the ANC and former secretary-general of the Youth League, was seen as one of the more outspoken and reformist figures within the party at the time of his death. He was also a vocal critic of corruption. Image: Supplied Nearly eight years after the assassination of former ANC Youth League secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa, a key breakthrough in the long-running murder case has finally arrived. One of the four men charged with his killing, Sibusiso Ncengwa, has pleaded guilty in the Pietermaritzburg High Court, admitting to pulling the trigger in the 2017 shooting. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara confirmed that Ncengwa, who was charged alongside Sbonelo Myeza, Mlungisi Ncalane and Mbulelo Mpofana, admitted to the murder of Magaqa and several related crimes during court proceedings on 6 June 2025. His confession marks a pivotal moment in a case that has drawn national attention and exposed deep political tensions in KwaZulu-Natal. According to the NPA, Ncengwa submitted formal admissions in terms of Section 220 of the Criminal Procedure Act. These included admitting to the murder of Magaqa on 13 July 2017 in uMzimkhulu, the attempted murder of Jabulile Msiya, Nonsikelelo Mafa and Nceba Mazongolo, malicious damage to property involving the victims' vehicles, and unlawful possession of a firearm. The court found Ncengwa guilty based on his admissions. His sentencing is scheduled for 30 June 2025. Meanwhile, his co-accused, Myeza and Mpofana, will appear in court on 19 June 2025 for a new indictment following the separation of their trial from Ncengwa's. The fourth accused, Mlungisi Ncalane, has been declared unfit to stand trial and is currently admitted to a psychiatric facility. Ncengwa's detailed confession outlined the planning, coordination, and execution of the attack, implicating all the accused in a plot that has long been suspected to be politically motivated. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Sindiso Magaqa, a rising star within the ANC and former secretary-general of the Youth League, was seen as one of the more outspoken and reformist figures within the party at the time of his death. He was also a vocal critic of corruption, particularly in local government structures in KwaZulu-Natal, and had begun to challenge maladministration in the uMzimkhulu municipality where he served as a councillor. His assassination in 2017 shocked the nation and deepened fears about the growing number of politically motivated killings in the province. Magaqa was shot multiple times in what police described as a "targeted hit" and succumbed to his injuries weeks later in a Durban hospital. At the time of his death, tensions within the ANC were high, with factional battles and contestation for positions often spilling over into violence. Many observers linked his murder to his anti-corruption stance and his efforts to expose irregularities in tender processes. Since 2017, the case has suffered from delays, threats to witnesses, and allegations of political interference. The guilty plea by Ncengwa is the first significant development in years, offering hope that justice may finally be within reach for Magaqa's family and supporters. With Ncengwa's confession now on the record, the prosecution is expected to build a stronger case against the remaining accused. Eight witnesses have already testified, and more are expected as the trial resumes. As sentencing looms and the remaining accused prepare for trial, the court proceedings may finally uncover the full truth behind a killing that has left a lasting scar on South African politics.
IOL News
2 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Thabiso Zulu's vindication: Hitman's confession reveals state involvement in Magaqa's assassination
. Whistle-blower and former ANC Youth League Harry Gwala region secretary, Thabiso Zulu, testified at the Moerane Commission about Sindiso Magaqa's assassination. Image: Sibonelo Ngcobo / Independent Media A prominent anti-corruption activist, Thabiso Zulu, who was also Sindiso Magaqa's close friend, says he is vindicated by the revelation of the state's hand in the murder of the former ANC Youth League leader. Last week, in his confession under oath in the Pietermaritzburg High Court, the hitman, Sibusiso Ncengwa, revealed shocking details about the role played by the SAPS's Crime Intelligence Unit members in the planning and execution of the killing in 2017. Ncengwa, businessman Mbulelo Mpofana, former policeman Sibonelo Myeza, and Mlungisi Ncalane were arrested in 2018 and charged with Magaqa's murder, who, at the time, was an ANC councillor in Umzimkhulu Local Municipality.. The hitman disclosed the chilling SAPS involvement in the murder as well as the role played by National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) officials in ensuring the case's demise. He also named the late Harry Gwala District Municipality mayor, Mluleki Ndobe, and former Umzimkhulu Local Municipality manager, Zweliphansi Skhosana, as the masterminds, who paid just over a million rand for a hit on Magaqa. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Detailing the police's role, Ncengwa said that, using its slush funds, the police bought the AK-47 that they used to kill Magaqa. He also said they bought a Mercedes-Benz that was used to travel to Umzimkhulu and Durban. He said the police also ensured that no police members would arrest them on their way to Durban on the day of the shooting of Magaqa by escorting their vehicle, adding that the police officer who escorted them was paid R20,000. The hitman provided details about the NPA's involvement, stating that he would have confessed long ago if the agency hadn't attempted to stop him. He told the police officer in 2019 that he wanted to confess, but the NPA dismissed the prosecutor because it believed he would permit the confession, especially the one that implicated the police. The State accepted Ncengwa's guilty plea and would be sentenced at the end of the month. Reacting to the revelation, Zulu said he was not surprised and felt vindicated when he saw the hitman's confession because it was the same information he had gone public with. 'This is the same information I publicly revealed after the killing and even went to the Moerane Commission with. I always maintained that Magaqa was assassinated by the state, so the hitman's confession vindicates me,' said Zulu Magaqa's family spokesperson Dr Lwazi Magaqa said the family is in a bereavement for another death and was not able to speak about the matter for now. Dr Lwazi Magaqa, a spokesperson for the Magaqa family, stated that the family is grieving the loss of another member and is unable to discuss the situation at this time. The NPA and the SAPS are yet to comment on their alleged involvement. Speaking on a TV interview on Monday night, Zulu called for the arrest of all the people named by the hitman in his confession.
