What should have been a voter registration drive turned into a weekend of political violence, with at least two politically affiliated figures killed in separate incidents.
In the Eastern Cape, ANC Ward 27 councillor Sicelo Mleve was shot and killed inside his office in Zwide, Gqeberha, during a meeting with several people present.
Police said armed suspects entered the premises, held occupants at gunpoint, and opened fire before fleeing the scene. The motive remains under investigation.
In response, the South African Communist Party (SACP) raised concerns over what it described as a deepening and entrenched pattern of political violence in the province, particularly the killing of Mleve.
“We convey our heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of South Africa for the loss. Comrade Sicelo’s brutal murder is a sad occurrence…a prominent leader of the progressive movement in the region. The brutal murder of Comrade Sicelo is not a random act of violence but is part and parcel of the prevalent political violence in Eastern Cape Province.”
