CHARLES MOLELE
THE Deputy Speaker in the KwaZulu Natal legislature and the former executive mayor of the Harry Gwala District Municipality, Mluleki Ndobe, allegedly shot and killed himself on Friday night.
KZN police confirmed on Saturday that Ndobe died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The police said the controversial ANC leader and the former deputy provincial secretary was with his family in the living room late on Friday night when the incident occurred.
“An inquest docket has been opened for investigation at Umbilo Police Station. This is after an incident that took place where a 46-year-old man was at his house at 56 Dan Pienaar Road in Umbilo yesterday at about 11 at night,” said police.
“According to the witness, he shot himself whilst seated with the family in the lounge and when the wife came back from the kitchen, she noticed that he was already dead. At the moment, the inquest docket is under investigation.”
ANC provincial spokesperson Nhlakanipho Ntombela said the party was shocked and saddened by the untimely death of Ndobe.
“The ANC in Kwazulu-Natal is shocked and saddened by the news of the passing on of comrade Mluleki Ndobe, who was the deputy speaker in the Provincial Legislature. We got the news of his passing on yesterday late in the evening after 11 at night. He was suffering from cancer. He was even out of hospital because of that situation,” said Ntombela.
“We are still not sure of the issues around his death exactly as there are speculations around it. We will be going to the family to get the details of what exactly transpired, but we can indeed confirm that he is no more.”
Inkatha Freedom Party President Velenkosi Hlabisa said on Saturday that the IFP was shocked and deeply saddened about the untimely death of Ndobe.
“On behalf of the IFP caucus, I convey our deepest sympathy and condolences for the passing on of deputy speaker honourable Mluleki Ndobe. We give pour condolences to the family and the ANC as his political party,” said Hlabisa.
“Honourable Ndobe was one of the few with highest qualities of leadership and in terms of maturity. Whenever he was chairing the meetings of the legislature, he would demonstrate fairness and respect for other people’s views. The loss of Ndobe is a loss to all of us as the people of KZN and the people of South Africa. May his soul rest in peace.”
In March last year, Ndobe, one of the most influential ANC power brokers in KZN politics, was arrested for his alleged involvement in the ‘Mafia-style’ killing of prominent ANC Youth League leader, Sindiso Magaqa.
Magaqa was fatally shot inside his Mercedes-Benz in 2017 by two hit men who sprayed the car with gunfire.
Ndobe was refused entry to Magaqa’s home following his murder by angry protesters.
He vehemently denied he was involved in the killing of Magaqa.
His charges were provisionally withdrawn due to lack of sufficient evidence.
According to his biography at the KZN legislature, Ndobe was a teacher by profession, but over the years he obtained a number of other qualifications at various institutions of higher learning.
At the time of his death, he was apparently studying towards PhD at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
He joined the mass democratic movement in his home town of Umzimkhulu where he served at various structures of the Congress of South African Students (COSAS), South African Students Congress (SASCO) before leading the African National Congress Youth League at various capacities before being elected the Regional Chairperson of the ANC in the Harry Gwala District.
He was also a member of the KZN provincial working committee (PWC).
(SOURCE: INSIDE POLITICS)
