Two IFP members shot dead in KwaZulu-Natal
Two Inkatha Freedom Party members have been shot dead in the uMtshezi area near Estcourt in KwaZulu-Natal, an African News Agency correspondent reported on Sunday.
Siyanda Mnguni and Thokozani Majola were shot on Friday evening. Details were unclear. However, it was believed that the two IFP members were campaigning for the August 3 municipal elections when they were confronted by people allegedly wearing African National Congress T-shirts.
According to IFP national chairman Blessed Gwala, the two were stopped and shot "at point blank range".
“We are concerned that as we near the local government elections we are losing our members. These acts of killings do not only undermine the democratic right of voters, but such acts are reversing the gains we have made in stabilising the province of KwaZulu-Natal," he said on Sunday.
“I was also informed that one leader of a certain political party drove through our volunteers and injured one of them with his car and he drove away. What makes us angry is that the police did not open [a] case of attempted murder and hit-and-run, but they only opened a case of reckless driving. This is ridiculous. Action must be taken against these police officers,” Gwala said.
The IFP appealed to law enforcement agencies to investigate the latest shootings speedily and bring to book those responsible. This would set an example for people acting against the democratic order in general, and free and fair elections in particular.
The IFP called on its members to remain calm and allow police to investigate. The IFP offered its condolences to the Mnguni and Majola families and stood fully behind them in this time of sorrow.