Durban - Despite his links to the taxi industry in Pietermaritzburg, slain EFF ward councillor candidate Thulani Shangase’s murder was not related to the violence in the industry.
This was the view expressed by Bheki Sokhela, chairperson of the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) in the Umgungundlovu region.
At the time of his death, Shangase was contesting for the position of ward councillor under the Msunduzi Local Municipality.
He was shot dead on Sunday by unidentified gunmen after campaigning for the red berets in the Herwood area of Plessislaer, Pietermaritzburg.
Video: Jehran Naidoo/IOL Politics
Sokhela on Wednesday described Shangase as a good employee who was helpful to taxi drivers and owners alike in the area.
Speaking to the media outside Shangase’s home in Plessislaer, Sokhela said that the murder was not due to Shangase’s taxi industry-related activities.
“Shangase was working very well with the taxi industry in Umgungundlovu and he used to help our drivers and our owners to make sure that there is stability on the roads and if there’s anything that he didn’t understand he used to call me to ask how to deal with it and I would go out there and assist him if it is necessary to do that.
“As he has passed away we as the taxi industry are feeling very sorry,” he said.
Police Minister Bheki Cele said the police were actively probing six apparently politically motivated killings in the province as fears grow that the latest incidents could lead to yet another bloody spate.
Cele said that the cases included three women who were shot dead in a drive by shooting by an armed gang in Inanda, north of Durban, when they were attending an ANC meeting in the area and that of Siyabonga Mkhize, an ANC councillor candidate for ward 101 in eThekwini, who was shot dead while on the campaign trail in Cato Crest.
Speaking during a visit to pay respects to the family of Shangase, Cele told the family that the police’s job was not to cry over the murders but to bring answers to the families and that it would not take them long to find the answers.
“Those people clearly died in the activities of politics, but there are other cases where there was no loss of life but were attacks and there are two of those in KwaDukuza where the candidate and somebody else also survived.
“There is another case that is happening that has not been reported officially, I know that the candidate of ward 36 in KwaMashu Hostel is not staying in the hostel as we speak because his life is under threat so we are trying to work on that. All those cases are given to the political task team to look at,” Cele said.