The ANCYL President, Collen Malatji, suspects the murder was due to criminal activity in the area, rather than any political agenda. Image credit: Collen_Malatji3
(The Post News) – While driving to a national meeting, Nkateko Mbhoma, a leader of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) from Limpopo, was shot and killed. However, Collen Malatji, the president of the ANCYL, maintains that the murder was not motivated by politics.
On Tuesday morning, Mbhoma and other league members were traveling to Kimberley for the ANCYL’s second National General Council (NGC) when the shooting took place in Leeudoringstad, close to Klerksdorp. Although Zama Khanyise, the secretary-general of the ANCYL, first claimed that suspects were pursuing the convoy, the leadership has since changed its position.
The incident has been described by Malatji as an act of “pure criminality” and any potential political motivation has been ruled out. He noted that there are illicit mining operations and a sizable population of “Zama Zamas,” or illegal miners, in the area where the shooting occurred. He implied that this might have contributed to the attack, but emphasized that since a police investigation is still underway, these are only speculations and not facts.
This statement from the ANCYL’s top leadership contrasts with a broader context of political violence in South Africa. The country has a long and documented history of politically motivated killings, particularly in provinces like KwaZulu-Natal, to the extent that police have established dedicated task teams to investigate such crimes. The murder of ANCYL member Sandiso Magaqa in 2017 is a notable example that highlights the dangers faced by political figures.
However, Malatji underlined that this particular tragedy serves as an important reminder that everyone is impacted by violence, including members of the community and government figures. He made use of the tragedy to encourage the President to deal with South Africa’s pressing crime problem. Both Malatji and Khanyise have strongly condemned the violence in their public remarks and urged law enforcement to hold those responsible for it accountable. The ANCYL continues to advocate for the safety of young leaders and safer communities.
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