Inside Politics reporter
ActionSA’s Ekurhuleni Mayoral candidate, Xolani Khumalo, has confirmed that a Nigerian suspect allegedly linked to drug trafficking was shot during a raid conducted over the weekend.
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Khumalo, who joined law enforcement officers in the operation, said the incident was part of an operation to dismantle drug syndicates across the city.
ActionSA said the shooting was a necessary step in confronting criminal networks that have long terrorised communities.
“For too long, drug syndicates have terrorised our communities through violence, intimidation and total disregard for the law,” said.
“That era must and will end.”
The party has made crime prevention and law enforcement central to its 10-Point Action Plan to fix Ekurhuleni.
Key proposals include cleaning up the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD), creating specialised units to dismantle drug syndicates and gangs, deploying crime-mapping technology for rapid response, and strengthening Community Policing Forums.
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The shooting has sparked debate over the role of political figures in frontline policing.
Critics argue that Khumalo’s direct involvement risks blurring the line between governance and enforcement, potentially escalating violence in anti-crime campaigns.
Supporters, however, see his presence as a bold demonstration of leadership in tackling Ekurhuleni’s spiraling crime crisis.
ActionSA has described Ekurhuleni as a “de facto mafia state,” insisting that only a hardline approach can restore order.
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Party leader Herman Mashaba has thrown his weight behind Khumalo, condemning his arrests in previous operations as harassment by a compromised police force that, in ActionSA’s view, protects criminals rather than communities.
INSIDE POLITICS