Elmon Tshikhudo
Collins Chabane mayor has been gunned down in front of his home in Shikundu village outside Malamulele in Limpopo
Mayor Moses Maluleke, 56, who was also the ANC Vhembe region’s deputy secretary was shot dead on arrival at his home on Thursday evening around 8pm.
His 18-year-old son who was with him during the attack was wounded.
According to national police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe, three unknown men approached Maluleke who was with his son and demanded money.
When Maluleke did not comply he and his son were shot and the mayor succumbed to his injuries.
The killers are unknown at this stage.
ANC Limpopo spokesperson Jimmy Machaka said the death shocked them and that not much is known so far about the incident.
Maluleke is the third politician to be killed in the Vhembe region following the killing of two SAMWU officials Ronald Mani and Tshililo Musetsho in 2019.
The two outspoken union leaders were allegedly killed for calling for the arrest of municipality officials who were involved in the VBS scandal.
Before that the Vhembe region was regarded as a calm area with no political murders unlike in other provinces.
Maluleke was deployed as Collins Chabane mayor in 2018 becoming the second mayor after Joyce Billa was unceremoniously relieved of her duties after being linked with the now defunct VBS scandal.
Maluleke cut his political teeth in 1988 while at the Tivumbeni College of Education where he was elected to serve in the Students Representative Council.
He worked as an educator before the ANC deployed him to serve in the mayoral committee in Vhembe after the 2016 local government elections.
A case of murder and attempted murder has been registered.
Meanwhile national police commissioner of General Fannie Masemola has directed the Limpopo provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe to mobilise maximum resources to apprehend those responsible for the murder of Maluleke.
Anyone with information on the murder is encouraged to report to the Saselamani Police station or call the Crime Stop Hotline number on 0860010111 to assist police investigations.
