Nelson Mandela Bay ward 20 councillor was shot dead and a passenger injured just before midnight last night, February 13, whilst driving in Tshawuka Street, KwaZakhele.
The councillor, Zwelandile Booi and three passengers, one man and two women, were driving along this street when the incident occurred at approximately 23:30.
An unknown suspect, with a balaclava over his face, allegedly opened fire on the driver’s side of Booi’s car. He sustained several gunshot wounds and died at the scene.
According to police spokesperson, Col. Priscilla Naidu, a woman in the passenger seat sustained a gunshot wound to her leg.
“The two back-seated passengers did not sustain any injuries. The ages of all the victims are yet to be verified,” Naidu said.
The motive for the shooting is unknown at this stage and a case of murder and attempted murder is being investigated by the Provincial Organised Crime Investigation in Gqeberha.
Meanwhile, the ANC in the Eastern Cape released a statement on social media, stating that Booi’s murder follows the attempted murder of another ANC leader in Kariega 24 hours ago.
“While it is too early to speculate on the motive for the murder, it is very worrying that a spate of killings and violence is again resurfacing in Nelson Mandela Bay,” ANC provincial secretary, Lulama Ngcukayitobi, said.
“The murder of a councillor is tantamount to subversion of democracy because a public representative is a servant of the people elected directly by the people. Councillor Booi was one of the hardest working councillors in Nelson Mandela Bay. We have lost a great leader and a people’s servant,” he added.
“We urgently call on law enforcement to intensify their work to hunt down the criminals and bring them to book to the full extent of the law. We also appeal to all ANC members and the broader community of Nelson Mandela Bay to remain calm and allow security organisations to uncover and and apprehend all those responsible and involved, as soon as possible,” he said.
“We lower our banner in honour of his passing in the service of the people of ward 20 in Nelson Mandela Bay. The ANC in the province convey its deepest and heartfelt condolences to the Booi family, friends and ward 20 community as well as to his colleagues and comrades in the Nelson Mandela Bay Council.”
