Durban — The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements and Public Works and the national Department of Human Settlements are mourning the murder of an employee who was shot dead in an alleged attempted hijacking.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said that a case of murder is being investigated by Ntuzuma SAPS.
“It is alleged that on August 4 at 12.30am, a 57-year-old man was in his vehicle on Mdubu Road in Lindelani when he was shot by unknown men. He sustained gunshot wounds to the upper body and was declared dead at the scene,” Gwala said.
“We are appealing to anyone who might have information about the suspects to come forward and report on our Crime Stop on 08600 10111.”
KZN Human Settlements and Public Works MEC Jomo Sibiya said Mfanufikile “Snow” Cele was brutally murdered in an attempted hijacking in Ntuzuma, north of Durban.
Cele was part of a team tasked with updating victims of the floods about progress around their relocation from community halls.
“What saddens us most is that his departure is a depletion of a dedicated staff that has been ensuring speed and efficiency towards the rollout of human settlements for the victims of the devastating floods we experienced in April,” Sibiya said.
He said they were concerned about the emotional trauma that their staff is experiencing due to harassment and bullying by rogue elements in various parts of the province, especially in eThekwini.
“We, therefore, wish to inform the people of this province that at this stage we are consulting with relevant authorities with the view of withdrawing our staff who are involved in the rollout of temporary residential units and construction of houses until their safety is guaranteed,” Sibiya said.
“There is an increasing number of different categories of staff who feel unsafe as they carry out their duties. It is clear to us now that unless something drastic is done, our staff who are involved in recovery efforts will continue to endure harassment from criminals who are also demanding tenders.”
The Minister of Human Settlements Mmamoloko Kubayi was saddened by the brutal killing of Cele and sent her heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and the entire human settlements family.
“I call on the community members who might have information about this incident to work with law enforcement authorities tasked with investigating this senseless murder. This will help the investigating team to speedily bring the perpetrators to book”, Kubayi said.
“The safety of our staff members is a responsibility for all including the community they serve. We count on everyone to protect those involved in various human settlement projects, including recovery efforts in KwaZulu-Natal, as the government continues to ramp up the rollout of temporary residential units and to build houses for displaced families.”
Cele joined the KZN Department of Human Settlements in 2017 as an administrative officer in the Anti-Land Invasion Unit. His day-to-day work entailed the prevention of invasion of state land earmarked for housing development.
He worked closely with eThekwini Municipality Security Management.
Cele’s dedication to the cause of the liberation struggle saw him going into exile to join and swell the ranks of uMkhonto weSizwe as a combatant.
When he returned to South Africa in 1990, he continued to serve the ANC in various positions in the then Southern Natal region. He was instrumental in the setting up of the People’s Self-Defence Units to defend communities in and around Durban during the low-intensity war and internecine violence prior to the advent of democratic rule in 1994.
He served on the provincial executive committee of the MKMVA in KZN. He also served as an eThekwini Municipality councillor until the 2016 municipal elections.
Daily News