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Nonsikelelo Blose, the SA Communist Party (SACP) leader whose murder on Sunday evening sparked a wave of violence in Inchanga, western Durban, this week, may have been killed because she witnessed another political murder in the area earlier this year.
Blose (40), who was shot three times at a restaurant in Fredville, is understood to have been a key witness in the investigation into the murder of 68-year-old SACP member Philip Dlamini on January 24.
Blose, a member of the SACP regional executive committee, was also vocal about the murder of another SACP member, Siyabonga Ngubo, in May, and had been involved with supplying police with information about the killings, said residents who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals.
At the time of Ngubo’s murder, Blose told SABC radio that the identities of his killers were known, as were the vehicles they used in the attack. She called on the police to make arrests.
On Thursday and Friday, residents told City Press they believed Blose was killed to silence her.
“This wasn’t just for no reason,” said one. “We all know here that Ntsiki was going to be a witness. That’s why she was killed.”
A local businessperson, who asked not to be named, said it appeared that witnesses to Dlamini’s killing were being “eliminated” as Ngubo had also given a statement to police after the January shootings.
“Ntsiki is the second witness to be killed. It looks like they want to kill this case off by murdering witnesses. Some of the people who have been picked up are the relatives of political leaders and the police are going nowhere with this case,” the businessperson said.
The killing of Blose, for which two men were arrested this week, sparked a revenge attack in which ANC member Xolani Ngcobo was shot and stoned to death early on Monday. Several houses were burnt down and roads into the area were blocked with burning barricades, with residents fleeing for several days while police brought the situation under control.
The conflict in the area is tied to the contestation of the ANC leadership at city and provincial level. The ward is home to ousted ANC eThekwini chairperson and former mayor James Nxumalo, and was won by his nephew Malombo Nxumalo, who stood as an independent candidate backed by the SACP.
ANC members were unhappy with their party’s choice, Nokukhanya Gumede.
Dlamini and Bongani Hlatshwayo (38) were killed in a shoot-out at an SACP meeting called at the KwaNdokweni sports grounds to discuss the exclusion of its members from the ANC candidate selection process ahead of the August 3 poll. Five men – Bafanyana Maxwell Shange (42), Zamokwakhe Shozi (38), Buka Shozi (44), Nhlanhla Majola (44) and Mabhunu Madondo (36) – were arrested for the killings. It is not clear when they will return to court after an unsuccessful bail application in February.
On Thursday, KwaZulu-Natal public safety MEC Mxolisi Kaunda met with both sides and the regional leadership of the ANC and SACP to attempt brokering a peace deal. Following negotiations with the families of Blose and Ngcobo, it was agreed that both would be buried today and that a peace process would continue to be followed to try to stabilise the area.
Police, Kaunda said, would continue to patrol the area while the talks and investigations into the killings continued.
SA Police Service cluster head Major General Dumezweni Chiliza, who addressed a media briefing with Kaunda after the peace talks, said two men had been arrested for Blose’s murder, while the probe into Ngcobo’s murder was continuing. Chiliza said 41 people arrested for public violence had been released pending further investigation.
Chiliza refused to discuss the investigation into Dlamini’s murder, saying it was still ongoing. He also refused to say whether or not Blose was to give evidence when the matter went to court.
Chiliza said, however, that witnesses could “only be offered witness protection” and could not be “forced” to accept it.
Kaunda said Blose’s killing may have been the result of an alcohol-fuelled argument as she was shot at a tavern.
He added that while the area had been identified as a hot spot for potential election violence, peace had prevailed.
On Friday the area, known as Harari, was flooded with police from the local station and other areas.
At a memorial service for Ngcobo on Friday, ANC regional secretary Bheki Ntuli lashed out at local police, saying their slow response had resulted in his death.
Ntuli said he would ask Kaunda to investigate the local SAPS and bring in officers from outside the area.
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