A KwaZulu-Natal African National Congress (ANC) ward councillor has been shot dead at the notorious KwaSithebe township in Mandeni in the politically volatile province.

Phendukani Mabhida, the councillor of ward 18 at the ANC-run Mandeni Local Municipality, was attacked by unknown gunmen at his home on Tuesday (February 4) night, according to a source familiar with the incident.

He was then rushed to hospital where he later died. 

The source said Mabhida was attacked by two heavily armed gunmen around 10pm. The assailants later fled the crime scene, thinking the councillor was dead. Mabhida was then rushed to a local hospital where he eventually succumbed to gun wounds.

“We don’t know why they killed him. We can’t speculate for now as that may mislead the public. Let the police investigate and get the truth,” said the source who tipped African Times about the murder. 

The spokesperson of the ANC in the General Gizenga Mpanza region (Ilembe district), Thandeka Ngidi, confirmed Mabhida’s death.

“We received the news about his shooting yesterday afternoon and we thought that he was going to make it because he was already taken to hospital, but this morning we received the news of his passing from his branch,” Ngidi said.

Mabhida was an ANC member in good standing at the party’s Ray Ntuli branch. His killers are still at large.