By Johnathan Paoli
Two of the five accused who admitted to their roles in the murder of Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor and uMngeni Local Municipality chief whip Nhlalayenza Ndlovu have been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Khayelihle Shabalala and Thabo Mathonsi were sentenced in the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and the murder of Ndlovu, who was gunned down at his home in Mpophomeni in December 2023.
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Ndlovu was shot dead in front of his wife and children on 5 December 2023, in a killing that prompted an investigation by the KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team.
Shabalala has been identified as the alleged gunman who was present at Ndlovu’s home when the shooting took place, while Mathonsi was accused of helping coordinate the killing from prison.
Investigators have identified Chief Simphiwe Zuma of the Nxamalala tribal authority in Impendle as the alleged mastermind behind the murder.
Zuma is Ndlovu’s uncle and is accused of issuing the order for his nephew to be killed.
He remains in custody after being denied bail twice, together with co-accused Thobani Hlongwa, who has been accused of being the hitman in the case.
The bail application of the fifth accused is expected to be ruled on on Friday.
The cases against Zuma and Hlongwa are expected to be transferred to the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
Ndlovu previously served as a proportional representation councillor in the Mpofana Local Municipality before being elected to the uMngeni council during the November 2021 local government elections.
He subsequently served as the uMngeni municipality’s DA chief whip.
Ndlovu’s murder came amid continued concerns over political violence in KwaZulu-Natal, where councillors, political activists and public representatives have previously been targeted in killings linked to disputes over political influence, municipal positions and access to resources.
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The life sentences handed to Shabalala and Mathonsi mark the first major conclusion in the Ndlovu murder case, while proceedings against the remaining accused are set to determine whether investigators can establish the full chain of responsibility behind the killing.
