EASTERN CAPE — The political landscape of the region is reeling after senior ANC member Nelisile Xolo was tragically gunned down in an Eastern Cape ambush, prompting urgent calls for law enforcement to apprehend the culprits and determine the motive behind the targeted attack.
The assassination has sent shockwaves through the province, particularly given Xolo’s multifaceted and influential role within the broader mass democratic movement. Beyond his senior standing in the African National Congress (ANC), he served as the former regional chairperson of the ANC Youth League in the Alfred Nzo region and was the current district treasurer for the South African Communist Party (SACP), a key alliance partner.
Addressing the media, ANC Alfred Nzo regional spokesperson Lungisile Mzanywa expressed deep distress over the incident, noting that such brutal political violence is highly unusual for their specific district. While the region often hears of similar tragedies in other parts of the country, Mzanywa emphasized that the violence has now struck close to home, leaving local structures and community development activists deeply shaken.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, and police have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Mzanywa stated that the party is leaving no stone unturned, urging law enforcement to deploy all necessary resources to uncover the truth. The spokesperson highlighted the critical need to establish whether the assassination was a purely criminal act or a politically motivated hit, especially with local government elections on the horizon and community leaders requiring assured safety.
This tragic event compounds a growing sense of vulnerability among political figures in the country. Xolo’s death occurs just days after the assassination of Sbusiso Khwela, an ANC eThekwini councillor who was killed near Pinetown in KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday. The back-to-back killings have intensified demands for heightened security and swift justice.
Should the investigation reveal a political motive, the regional leadership has vowed to ruthlessly root out any undesirable elements or political “shenanigans” operating within the movement’s ranks. The party maintains a zero-tolerance policy for such acts and is relying heavily on the police to expose the masterminds behind the murder so that justice can be served and the problem can be uprooted from its source.