'Masterminds' who planned hit on DA's Nhlalayenza Ndlovu from prison arrested
Police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said the political killings task team arrested a 56-year-old inkosi and a 26-year-old man, who allegedly co-ordinated the murder of the councillor from Pietermaritzburg prison. The pair face charges of conspiracy to commit murder, murder and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
They will appear with: a lleged hitman Zwelithini Buthelezi, 43, an induna (headman) in the Nxamalala tribal authority in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands;
an induna (headman) in the Masobho Hlongwa, 31; and
Khayelihle Shabalala, 31.
Ndlovu was shot dead outside his home, in front of his wife, two children and a nanny. His family have since abandoned the home outside eMpophomeni.
DA provincial leader Francois Rodgers said the DA had commissioned a forensic investigation last year which identified Buthelezi as one of the conspirators in Ndlovu's killing. He said when they presented evidence to police task teams they were ignored.
TimesLIVE
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
13 hours ago
- The Citizen
uMngeni councillor murder: Traditional leader uncle among 5 arrested
A suspect accused of killing the late uMngeni municipal councillor Nhlalayenza Ndlovu was his uncle. According to Zululand Observer, Ndlovu was gunned down at his Masosheni home near Mpophomeni in December 2023. The uncle (56), who is an iNkosi (a Zulu word for 'chief'), was arrested on Wednesday and appeared alongside a 34-year-old accomplice in the Howick Magistrate's Court yesterday. The arrest by the SAPS Political Killings Task Team brings the total number of suspects to five. The matter has been postponed to next Friday for a formal bail application. DA leader Francois Rodgers said the iNkosi is allegedly implicated in a separate case involving the murder of his cousin. 'While the DA welcomes the progress in this case, we remain deeply disappointed by the delays in the arrests. The information that ultimately led to the arrests was already available to the authorities by the DA's independent legal team, yet it was disregarded,' said Rodgers. 'The disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has further weakened the state's ability to address politically motivated crimes. 'The presence of senior SAPS intelligence officials during court proceedings only deepens concerns about whether our intelligence structures are being used effectively and impartially in such politically sensitive matters.' Cogta MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi commended the SAPS on the arrest, saying it was a 'significant breakthrough'. Buthelezi praised the task team for their diligent work, which led to this progress and the arrest of more suspects. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on
The Citizen
15 hours ago
- The Citizen
Murdered politician's uncle arrested
A suspect accused of killing the late uMngeni municipal councillor, Nhlalayenza Ndlovu, was his uncle. Ndlovu was gunned down at his Masosheni home near Mpophomeni in December 2023. The uncle (56), who is an iNkosi, was arrested on Wednesday and appeared alongside a 34-year-old accomplice at the Howick Magistrate's Court on Thursday. The arrest by the SAPS Political Killings Task Team brings the total number of suspects to five. DA leader Francois Rodgers said the iNkosi was allegedly implicated in a separate case involving the murder of his cousin. The matter has been postponed to 8 August for a formal bail application. 'While the DA welcomes the progress in this case, we remain deeply disappointed by the delays in the arrests. The information that ultimately led to the arrests was already available to the authorities by the DA's independent legal team, yet it was disregarded,' said Rodgers. 'The disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has further weakened the State's ability to address politically motivated crimes. 'The presence of senior SAPS intelligence officials during court proceedings only deepens concerns about whether our intelligence structures are being used effectively and impartially in such politically sensitive matters.' Cogta MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi commended the SAPS on the arrest, saying it was a 'significant breakthrough'. Buthelezi commended the task team for their diligent work, which led to this significant breakthrough and the arrest of more suspects. Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer
The Herald
15 hours ago
- The Herald
Woman injured as stone throwers strike again on Cape Town's N2
City of Cape Town FF Plus councillor Emre Uygun is calling for stronger action after another violent incident on the N2's notorious 'Hell Run' near Cape Town International Airport. A woman was seriously injured when a concrete block was hurled at a car travelling along the said the incident is the latest in a string of violent attacks on motorists travelling on the high-risk stretch of highway.'The victims were travelling towards the airport from Somerset West when a concrete block was thrown at their vehicle, striking a woman in the face. Another vehicle attempted to force them off the road at the same time. Their calls to the police's emergency number, 10111, went unanswered.' Uygun confirmed the victims opened a case of attempted murder with police. According to SAPS spokesperson Capt FC van Wyk, Nyanga police have launched an attempted murder investigation into the incident on July 13 at about 4.15pm just before Borchards Quarry Road. 'According to reports, the complainant was on his way to Cape Town International Airport when his vehicle was struck by an object on the passenger side, hitting his wife. The lady was injured with glass in the face,' said Van Wyk. Uygun said the N2 'Hell Run' continues to be a hotspot for crime targeting motorists, with a lack of visible policing and non-functional surveillance systems putting lives at risk. 'According to reports, the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) monitoring system recorded more than 200 crime-related incidents on the N2 and R300 in Cape Town in 2023, including stone-throwing and robbery targeting motorists. 'The so-called 'Hell Run' section of the N2 near the airport is a known high-risk area. So it is alarming that the closed-circuit TV (CCTV) cameras on this stretch of road are non-functional and visible policing is clearly inadequate.' Uygun said a working CCTV system could serve as a deterrent and a critical tool in identifying and apprehending perpetrators. Asked about non-functional CCTV cameras in the area, Van Wyk said enquiries regarding camera infrastructure should be directed to the City of Cape Town. 'The FF Plus calls on Sanral, the SAPS and the metro police to implement comprehensive measures to ensure the safety of motorists, particularly on the N2 near the airport, to prevent such incidents,' said Uygun. He said integrated operations involving SAPS, the city's law enforcement, traffic and metro police are regularly conducted on the N2 corridor. However, the frequency and effectiveness of these operations are now being questioned as motorists continue to be attacked. The latest incident follows a previous case in 2024, when traffic services appealed to the public for information about a group of children caught on camera throwing stones at vehicles on the N1 near the Sable Road off-ramp. One motorist captured the footage after his windscreen was shattered in the attack. Van Wyk said no arrests have been made and investigations are continuing. TimesLIVE
