Mastermind in DA councillor’s murder remains elusive

A year after Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor Nhlahlayenza Ndlovu was mercilessly gunned down in front of his family, the police don’t appear to be any closer to arresting the mastermind, despite claiming to know the person’s identity. AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit, which represents Ndlovu’s family, attended proceedings in the Howick Magistrates Court yesterday where the man accused of the murder has applied for bail. Thobani Hlongwa faces several charges, including conspiracy to commit murder.

For the past 12 months the unit has tried to engage with the police to provide information which may lead to the arrest of the mastermind. But Major General Dumisani Khumalo, Head of Police Crime Intelligence, has rejected offers to engage.

In the bail application, police investigating officer, Sergeant Delani Chemane, described the case as “exceptionally complicated”. Notably, he says Ndlovu was “not on good terms with” Zwelithini Buthelezi, the Induna of the area, “because of his never-ending fight against the illegal electricity connections in the Mpophomeni area.” The investigating officer describes Buthelezi as the “leader of those illegal connections”. Chemane says cell phone data places Hlongwa at the scene of the crime and bank statements show funds were paid into his bank account paid by another suspect. Chemane claims that the accused confessed to the crime, but Hlongwa says the confession was obtained under duress and he will present an alibi as his defence.

After proceedings, Adv. Gerrie Nel, head of the Private Prosecution Unit, said it appears the state has a strong case against Hlongwa, but many questions remain unanswered, particularly those related to the induna. “For the first time the state acknowledged that we’re dealing with a political killing. They indicated that it’s contract killing, so there must be a mastermind. The police say they have identified the paymaster, but there is no indication that they are any closer to arresting that person. Our clients are concerned that the mastermind remains free. The investigation must focus on arresting the mastermind. They want to know who ordered the murder. They want closure,” he said.

AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit raised red flags in May this year after learning that the police had arrested Buthelezi, the Induna, in connection with a theft case, but he was released without the state opposing bail. The police subsequently identified him as a wanted suspect and asked the public for information on his whereabouts.

BACKGROUND

Assassins murdered the uMngeni Municipality’s chief whip in front of his wife and children on 4 December last year. He was shot more than ten times. In January, the DA’s Independent Task Team selected the unit as its operational partner to lead the investigation into Ndlovu’s murder, and it was formally briefed to provide support and legal assistance to the slain councillor’s family. Since January the unit, led by Adv. Gerrie Nel and supported by its senior investigators, has conducted extensive consultations and followed up on numerous promising leads in the uMngeni area.

In April the unit announced that it had secured potentially critical evidence that could solve the investigation but Major General Dumisani Khumalo, head of police Crime Intelligence, shut down all communication with the unit and, in effect, the victims of this heinous crime. Subsequence correspondence sent to Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has also gone unanswered.

The case was postponed to 9 January for the bail application judgment.