DURBAN - The National Task Team established to investigate political violence and killings in KwaZulu-Natal made a breakthrough a month after the murder of Umvoti Local Municipality ward councillor Thembinkosi Lombo, 35, who was gunned down while walking to a food outlet last month.
Lombo was killed on February 25, 2022, in the Greytown city centre.
National police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe said a man was arrested in connection with Lombo’s murder.
“On Saturday, March 26, 2022, police traced 20-year-old Lalelani Zondi in Jeppestown, Johannesburg. The suspect has already appeared before the Greytown Magistrate's Court on a charge of murder and will appear again on Monday, April 4, 2022,” Mathe said.
She said the task team has not ruled out the possibility of arresting more suspects in the matter.
Lombo was serving as an ANC councillor for ward 13 in the municipality when he was killed.
Lombo’s murder had brought the total to at least five ANC members that were shot and killed in two months.
Secretary of the ANC Inkosi Bhambatha Region, Bheki Lembethe, said Lombo was killed in broad daylight.
He said the region was becoming a zone of brutal killings directed at political leaders, with several killed in recent years. He said it remained a puzzle as to when these killings would end.
Also in February, two ANC members were shot dead on Baker Road after coming out of a meeting. Four men approached them and opened fire.
Since the start of the year, two other ANC politicians were shot dead in eThekwini. Former eThekwini ANC ward councillor Bheki Mvubu was killed on his way home in February while Minenhle Mkhize was also gunned down at his home in January.
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