NFP Youth condemns political killings

Independent Newspapers

The National Freedom Party will celebrate its second anniversary in KwaMashu, north of Durban, this weekend.

Durban -

The National Freedom Party's youth wing has called for tolerance in KwaZulu-Natal following a wave of political killings.

“We reiterate and affirm the statements of the... NFP, denouncing and publicly condemning the political killings and political intolerance... in the strongest possible terms,” said spokesman Sizwe Njapha.

The youth movement said it would hold talks with the youth structures of other political parties, including the Inkatha Freedom Party Youth Brigade and the African National Congress Youth League, to try to establish peace.

In a statement issued following the NFP Youth Movement's inaugural conference at the weekend, Njapha said the NFPYM would also propose political education for its own members, to inculcate a culture of political tolerance and stability.

He said the NFPYM fully supported “the clarion call by His Majesty the King 1/8Goodwill Zwelithini 3/8 for all political parties, religious groups and traditional leaders to come together to bring about lasting peace” in KwaZulu-Natal.

At the conference, delegates voted in the movement's national leaders, including Sbusiso Mncwabe as president, Lindani Magwaza as deputy president, Busie Tshabalala as secretary, and Obert Matlala as deputy secretary.

Qedukwazi Gumede was elected treasurer and Mlamuli Langa projects co-ordinator. Njapha was elected spokesman.

In August, KwaZulu-Natal community safety MEC Willies Mchunu gave details of 35 possible politically related murders in the province since mid-2011.

He said police had reported political instability in Margate, Vryheid, Dundee, KwaMashu, Estcourt, Greytown, KwaDukuza, Umlazi T-section, Jacobs and SJ Smith hostels.

Since then, an ANC councillor was shot dead, and his wife shot and injured, in Estcourt on August 17.

In early October, an IFP councillor was kidnapped and killed in KwaMashu.

An IFP member was shot dead outside the Ntuzuma Magistrate's Court on October 15, allegedly by an NFP councillor.

This took place after the court appearance of four men in connection with the shooting of an IFP supporter at the KwaMashu hostels.

Cebisile Shezi, 31, who was wearing an IFP T-shirt, was shot dead near the Thembalihle railway station, in KwaMashu, shortly after Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa addressed IFP supporters at a sports field in A-section, KwaMashu, where the hostels were located. - Sapa