News24 | Two ANC members gunned down during door-to-door campaign in Durban

Two ANC members were shot dead during a door-to-door campaign in Umgababa, Durban.

Gallo Images /Thapelo Maphakela

• Two ANC members were shot dead during a door-to-door campaign in Umgababa, Durban.
• Occupants of a white Suzuki bakkie allegedly opened fire on the campaigning group.
• One woman was injured fleeing the assassins while two bodyguards, who ran away during the shooting, are yet to be found.

Two ANC members were shot and killed while conducting a door-to-door campaign in Umgababa, Durban, on Thursday.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the two – a man and a woman – and their two bodyguards were approached by men in a white Isuzu bakkie in Area 24.

“The occupants of the bakkie reportedly opened fire on the five using rifles and pistols,” Netshiunda added.

“Two people, a man and a woman, were declared dead at the scene, and one woman reportedly injured her leg when she was fleeing from the assassins.”

He said the two bodyguards, who were with the victims, fled the scene and were yet to be found.

READ | ANC ward councillor gunned down outside his office near Mariannhill

While the motive for the killing is unknown, Netshiunda added that political intolerance could not be ruled out.

Police are investigating cases of two murders and three attempted murders.

ANC eThekwini regional convenor Thabani Nyawose told the SABC that one of the victims was the party’s election coordinator and the other was a ward candidate.

“We thank God that our candidate survived as well as the secretary of the women’s league,” he said.

Nyawose added:

They were engaging voters when they were shot.

On Tuesday, a gunman opened fire on a group of mourners in Katlehong North, Ekurhuleni, killing two ANC Youth League members. Two other people later died in the hospital.

The group was returning from the memorial service of slain ANC member Jeanette Magugu.

Magugu, an ANC branch chairperson, was gunned down last week in the Mandela informal settlement, Katlehong.

READ | Three local politicians gunned down over the weekend in Cape Town and Gqeberha

In August, ANC Ward 17 councillor Sbusiso Cedric “Khekhe” Khwela was gunned down in broad daylight outside his office in Klaarwater, Mariannhill, KwaZulu-Natal.

Nyawose said they would not speculate on the motive for the killing but noted that the ANC was losing its volunteers at the peak of its campaign.

“This will cause fear and discourage our volunteers from participating fully in the ANC campaign,” he added.

“But we hope that the police will arrest those involved so that we can know the motive.”