Abahlali baseMjondolo leader gunned down in Gauteng; SAFTU condemns murder

The treasurer of the eNkanini branch of Abahlali baseMjondolo, Zweli Mkhize, was allegedly assassinated last Thursday, in eNkanini, Ellandale, Gauteng.

According to the organisation, Mkhize was at the home of a friend, when two men in a Renault arrived and immediately opened fire. He was killed at the scene.

Described by fellow members as honest, transparent and deeply committed to democratic processes, Mkhize was regarded as a trusted leader who prioritised the interests of his community.

The movement said his assassination adds to a growing list of leaders from the organisation who have been killed over the past decade.

In the wake of Mkhize’s death, leaders in KwaZulu-Natal confirmed that political violence against members of the movement remains a persistent concern.

Thapelo Mohapi of Abahlali baseMjondolo in KZN said that in 2022 alone, four leaders were lost, three of them in assassinations.

• On 8 March 2022, Ayanda Ngila, deputy chairperson of the eKhenana community, was shot and killed in the community.
• On 5 May 2022, Nokuthula Mabaso, chairperson of the same community, was also killed there.
• On 20 August 2022, Lindokuhle Mnguni, who had served as chairperson, was killed.

According to Mohapi, two ward councillors were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2016 for the 2014 murder of Thuli Ndlovu, chairperson of the movement in KwaNdengezi Ward 12. Other leaders who have been killed over the years include Sifiso Ngcobo, Sbonelo Mpeku and Nkululeko Gwala.

25 Leaders Lost Since 2009

According to Mohapi, the movement has lost 25 leaders since 2009. Of those, 14 were killed in assassinations.

He maintains that the killings are politically motivated, with land at the focus of the conflict.

“Land is at the centre of these killings,” Mohapi said. “There are those who want land to be used for profit, to be bought and sold, and the leaders of Abahlali are in the way of that.”

He added that the movement has also exposed corruption in the allocation of housing. In the case of Thuli Ndlovu’s murder, the two ward councillors who were convicted were found to have been selling houses that were meant for poor residents.

Despite the scale of the violence, the movement reports that there have been only two convictions related to the killings of its members since 2009.

The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) also condemned the murder. In a statement,  SAFTU General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said: “This killing is not an isolated incident. It forms part of a disturbing and unacceptable pattern of assassinations targeting Abahlali baseMjondolo leaders and community activists across South Africa.

“Over the past decade, numerous leaders of this movement have been murdered under similar circumstances. These assassinations expose the brutal reality that activists who stand up against corruption, land dispossession, housing injustice, and local elite patronage networks often face intimidation, violence, and death.”

SAFTU called for a full, independent, and transparent investigation into Mkhize's murder, for the perpetrators to be brought to book and for protection to be provided for Abahlali baseMjondolo leaders and other community activists facing threats.

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