How world sees SA: Corruption breakthrough, as ANC bigwig arrested for murder!

EDINBURGH — Many South Africans have expressed frustration at the slow pace the police are taking in bringing the corrupt and captured to court to face charges. But the international correspondent for The New York Times has taken note of an important development in KwaZulu-Natal, a province riven with violence-fuelled political feuds. Norimitsu Onishi reports on the arrest of Mluleki Ndobe, described as one of the most influential members of the ANC in the province, for the mafia-style murder of a whistleblower. Twitter is buzzing with the news, with commentators noting that the Harry Gwala municipality mayor is number three on the provincial list of election candidates. The message to investors from Ndobe's arrest is that President Cyril Ramaphosa's directive to law enforcement agencies to take action against graft is starting to bear fruit. – Jackie Cameron.The ANC leader arrested in connection to the death of #SindisoMagaqa mayor Mluleki Ndobe is No3 on the list to the provincial legislature. pic.twitter.com/GwZ2u86ykf ___STEADY_PAYWALL___.— Qaanitah Hunter (@QaanitahHunter) 17 March 2019 .By Thulasizwe Sithole.A high-ranking politician in South Africa's governing African National Congress was arrested in connection with the assassination of a party member who had exposed corruption in a public works project, officials said Monday, The New York Times has reported.."Mluleki Ndobe, one of the most influential ANC power brokers in KwaZulu-Natal Province, was arrested early Sunday for suspected involvement in the mafia-style killing of a nationally known party leader, Sindiso Magaqa, according to party and police officials," it told its global audience.."Mr. Magaqa, who had loudly condemned the theft of public money in the town of Umzimkhulu, was fatally shot inside his Mercedes-Benz in 2017 by two hit men who sprayed the car with gunfire. A man suspected of being one of the killers was arrested in September," The New York Times recounts.."The assassination – the most high-profile in a wave of political killings that have swept across South Africa since early 2016 – came to symbolise the decline of the ANC, whose members have increasingly targeted anticorruption whistle-blowers and turned on one another in lethal fights over political posts.".The police, continues The New York Times, also arrested Zweliphansi Skhosana, the municipal manager of Umzimkhulu, according to party officials. ."Mr. Skhosana was considered the leader in town of an ANC faction that was led by Mr. Ndobe at the district level.."The two men are expected to appear in court on Tuesday. It was not clear on Monday what charges they would face or whether either had a lawyer.".In an interview last year, says The New York Times correspondent, Skhosana denied the allegations of corruption in the town and accused Magaqa of making up stories to further his political ambitions..Separately, Mr. Ndobe, the district mayor, told The New York Times that infighting inside the ANC was worse than the struggle against apartheid. "It was better before we attained democracy, because we knew the enemy – that the enemy was the regime, the unjust regime," he said. "Now, you don't know who is the enemy."."Given the political sensitivities of the recent killings inside the ANC, few cases have led to arrests, and even fewer to convictions. The government of President Cyril Ramaphosa, criticised by human rights groups and even ANC officials for doing little to crack down on the killings, had come under increasing pressure to make progress on the investigation of Mr. Magaqa's death," continues The New York Times.."I'm feeling better now that the law still applies," Jabulile Msiya, a political ally of Magaqa's who was inside his car during the shooting, is reported as saying. "We'd like to see justice happening in our town in Umzimkhulu.".Magaqa apparently began receiving death threats in early 2017 after he accused fellow ANC members of siphoning money in the multimillion-dollar renovation of a community hall. ."Two of his political allies, who had supported his call for an official investigation, were killed by hit men in their homes. Then in July 2017, hit men in a red BMW attacked Mr. Magaqa in his car.".Because of the stature Mr. Ndobe and Mr. Skhosana held within the ANC, some experts said that the authorities had shown little appetite to pursue an investigation into Mr. Magaqa's killing. His mother and other relatives said that ANC provincial and national leaders – after initially expressing support and attending Mr. Magaqa's funeral – had not joined the family in pushing for an inquiry..Mary de Haas, an expert on political killings who lectured at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said it was unclear why the arrests had occurred so long after the killing.

How world sees SA: Corruption breakthrough, as ANC bigwig arrested for murder!

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