Nyanios Jindela, Ex-Stellenbosch Deputy Mayor, killed in Kayamandi

(The Post News)- The Stellenbosch community is mourning the loss of former deputy mayor and respected councillor, Nyanios Jindela, who was tragically shot dead on Monday night in Kayamandi. The incident, confirmed by the Stellenbosch Municipality, has prompted a murder investigation by the South African Police Service (SAPS).

According to Western Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg, law enforcement officials were called to Vineyard Street at approximately 8 PM following reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, they discovered the 59-year-old victim with a fatal gunshot wound to the throat. Medical personnel declared him deceased at the scene.

While a murder case has been registered, the motive behind Jindela’s killing remains unclear, and no arrests have yet been made. The Stellenbosch Municipality has pledged its full cooperation with SAPS, vowing to provide all necessary information to aid the ongoing investigation.

Jindela’s political career included significant service as a councillor and his tenure as deputy mayor. However, his name had previously been linked to other high-profile cases within the region’s complex political landscape. In 2021, Jindela, his wife Unathi, and three others faced arrest in connection with the murder of Cameron Mcako, another former Stellenbosch deputy mayor.

Mcako’s death had followed closely on the heels of the killing of land rights activist Midas Winana. Winana was a key figure advocating for “Azania,” a disputed piece of land adjacent to Kayamandi that saw the sudden erection of shacks. The municipality later acquired this land from the late Stefan Smit, who was himself murdered at his farmhouse in Louisenhof in June 2019. Winana was shot dead on August 15, 2019, just hours before a scheduled protest march.

Reports indicated that Winana and Mcako had differing views concerning the municipality’s plan to relocate shack dwellers for service upgrades. Mcako, who served as an ANC deputy mayor from 2008 to 2009, notably joined the DA shortly before the 2016 municipal elections. Jindela, at the time of his death, was no longer employed by the municipality, having previously worked as an area manager for Kayamandi, focusing on issues like waste management, ablutions, vandalism, and illegal structures.