As the assassination of political leaders and activists continues unabated in KwaZulu-Natal, the ANC in the province has asked former president Jacob Zuma to help 'cleanse the province and bring to an end these killings'. He's also expected to play a role in the party's 2024 election campaign.

Political parties and other organisations are concerned about the high levels of political and other killings in KwaZulu-Natal, where it seems hardly a week passes without a councillor or political leader being killed.

There are fears that these killings will increase ahead of the 2024 general elections as political parties intensify their campaigns.

The latest victim is Mabhungu Mkhize (45), the ANC Ward 41 councillor in Msunduzi (Pietermaritzburg) Local Municipality, who was shot and killed on Friday, 25 August, at Imbali's Unit 14. A friend who was with Mkhize in the car was also shot in the thigh and was rushed to hospital. Three suspects have since been apprehended. Mkhize will be laid to rest in Pietermaritzburg this Saturday.

Weeks before Mkhize's murder, Ntombenhle Mchunu (75), a National Freedom Party (NFP) councillor in Nongoma Local Municipality, was murdered when gunmen entered her home and fired a volley of shots, which killed her and injured one of her grandchildren. Her killers are still at large.

One of the strangest cases of a suspected politically motivated killing occurred just before the November 2021 local government elections. Siyabonga Mkhize, the then eThekwini Ward 101 councillor, was campaigning in his bakkie...