Ramaphosa ally in KZN killed days after raising safety concerns

Celani Sikhakhane

Days before KwaZulu-Natal Youth League ‘s Mfundo Mokoena was murdered, he spoke about his safety and not being able to afford a bodyguard.

The outspoken Mokoena was killed on Monday night at a bus stop of kwaCele which is next to his home in Adams Mission, south of Durban.

Known as the ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa’s strongest supporter in eThekwini region, Mokoena was a branch leader at ward 67.

ANC leaders in the province have warned against associating his death with the recent ANC elective congress. 

He led Thabani Nyawose’s campaign against Zandile Gumede openly ahead of the regional congress to be the party’s chair.

That camp wants Ramaphosa to take a second term as ANC president. 

When Gumede finally emerged a winner, Mokoena said: “As a congress person I accept the result and the leadership of comrades Zandile as the new chairperson, Musa Nciki as secretary, Nkosentsha Madlala as deputy secretary and Thembo Ntuli as deputy chair. I believe in democratic centralism.” 

A source said it was difficult to speculate why he was killed since Mokoena had an interest in the top position of the province. 

“Before the elective congress he was very vocal about a lot of things and I even feared for his safety but he said there was nothing he could do as he couldn’t afford a bodyguard,” the source said.

He was a member of the ANCYL temporary structure that was formed to rebuild the ANCYL in KZN.  

The ANC in eThekwini region expressed its shock over Mokoena’s murder. 

Secretary Musa Nciki has warned against divisive speculations that seek to drive division in the ANC. 

“Those with information that may lead to the arrests must quickly report to the nearest police station in order to end speculation. We call on the reporters not to make a speculative and divisive reporting that seeks to drive a wedge within the movement and society,” said Nciki.

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