KwaZulu-Natal Premier Willies Mchunu has asked the commission of inquiry into the political killings in the province to start its work "as soon as possible".
In October 2016 Mchunu announced the appointment of the commission, chaired by Marumo Moerane SC, to probe political killings in the province since 2011.
The other members of the commission are Vasu Gounden and Cheryl Potgieter, with Solo Mdledle as the commission’s secretary.
Dozens of politicians and supporters have been killed in KwaZulu-Natal over the past six years, including more than 20 killed in 2016 alone.
Before the local government elections in August 2016 the ANC lost 12 leaders and candidates, while the South African Communist Party, the IFP and the National Freedom Party lost three leaders each.
Since the commission’s appointment scores of people have been killed in what are suspected to be politically motivated hits.
On Monday Richmond local municipality manager Sbu Sithole was ambushed and gunned down by unknown gunmen while on duty. It is believed his killers were sent by people who were unhappy with his work in the municipality.
Members of the commission have been setting up the logistics to start hearings and enable witnesses to give evidence about killings in secret.
Mchunu’s spokesman, Ndabe Sibiya, said the premier had spoken to the commission members about the latest political killings.
"The premier is concerned about the ongoing political killings in the province. He has thus spoken to members of the commission to ask them to start their work as soon as possible so that people can come forward and give information about political killings.
"The premier is saddened by the loss of leaders of Sithole’s calibre, people who were doing a great job for our institutions. The premier wants the commission to … start working in the next few weeks," Sibiya said.
KwaZulu-Natal-based political analyst Sifiso Kunene said the commission had taken too long to get going, which could affect its performance.
"They were appointed in October 2016 and they have not held a single sitting. One has to ask how long will they take to get their house in order. While [the commission] is dithering people are dying out there."
Kunene said the commission could be yet another talk shop. "I doubt whether the outcome of the commission will be successful. There have been a number of these commissions in the past but they hardly made any recommendations that changed anything.
"Look at what happened to the commission to investigate the cause of xenophobia. It has not achieved anything. I think the same thing will happen with this commission on political killings," Kunene said.
Meanwhile, fear and loathing is still high in the Richmond area following Sithole’s killing. Richmond mayor Joe Mchunu said people didn’t know who the killers’ next target could be.
"I could be the next target myself, I don’t know. We are still wondering what could have led to his (Sithole’s) killing," he said.
Mchunu said that the municipality was urging anyone who might have witnessed or have information about Sithole’s killing to approach the police.
Sibiya said the authorities were following all leads to find Sithole’s killers.
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