HOWICK – Two alleged masterminds behind the assassination of DA councillor Nhlalayenza Ndlovu have been arrested and are expected to appear in the Howick Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, police confirmed.
The latest arrests include a 56-year-old Inkosi (traditional leader) and a 26-year-old suspect who allegedly coordinated the December 2023 murder while incarcerated at Pietermaritzburg Prison, according to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe.
The suspects will join two others previously arrested in connection with the killing of the Umgeni Local Municipality DA councillor and chief whip, who was gunned down outside his home in the Mpophomeni area near Howick.
All four suspects face charges of conspiracy to commit murder, murder, and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
Ndlovu was shot dead in front of his wife, two children, and a nanny in a coldblooded attack that shocked the local community. The family has since been forced to abandon their home outside Mpophomeni.
The breakthrough comes after months of investigation by the political killings task team, which has been working to crack down on the spate of politically motivated murders that have plagued KwaZulu-Natal.
The case highlights the ongoing violence targeting political figures in the province, with the latest arrests suggesting a complex conspiracy involving multiple suspects, including those operating from within the prison system.
