Cape Town – Land movement group, Abahlali baseMjondolo, has accused the African National Congress (ANC) of assassinating one of its leaders and activists, Ayanda Ngila.
Ngila was murdered on Tuesday, at eKhenana commune in KwaZulu-Natal just before 3 pm. Eyewitnesses say that four men entered the commune from the riverside, where the communal garden is, and started shooting at Ayanda, as he was working on the irrigation piping.
According to reports, since 2018, the group has lost six members in eKhenana to targeted assassinations.
The shack dwellers' movement has alleged that the attack was led by ANC affiliates, who have significantly influenced the local police.
“The Commune has come under relentlessly violent attack from the ANC, the police and the anti-land invasion unit. Its leaders have regularly been arrested on bogus charges, denied bail and detained in prison.
“Ayanda recently did six months in prison, was released when the charges were dropped and then sent back to prison on more bogus charges,” they said.
The group says that on Sunday, Ngila and others were welcomed back to the commune from the second period in prison to celebrate solidarity.
“That night, the ANC attacked people with axes. Now Ayanda is dead. The ANC has murdered another principled and committed activist. Our oppressors have squandered another young life, and another family left in pain,” they added.
The Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI) has condemned the killing of Ngila. The human rights protection non-profit organisation has also called for the Minister of Police and the Provincial Commissioner of Police to investigate the conduct of police at the Cato Manor police station.
“We also call on the National Prosecuting Authority and the South African Human Rights Commission to urgently investigate the allegations of bias and misconduct by various officials involved in a series of cases brought against Abahlali members of the past year, ” they added.
IOL