The nephew of a prominent Inkatha Freedom Party politician has been shot dead near his home in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, police confirmed on Friday.
Macala Gwala, of Nkwezela, south of Bulwer, was attacked while walking home with family and friends at 10pm on Thursday, Lt-Col Vincent Mdunge said.
His uncle, Blessed Gwala, is the leader of the IFP in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature.
The 27-year-old Macala Gwala, a traditional leader, was set to be sworn in as an inkosi, or chief, in his area.
In a statement on Friday, Gwala senior said the family “gave its most heartfelt sympathy to His Majesty the King and the House of Traditional Leaders for being robbed of a life that was taken away senselessly”.
Family spokesman Mzokhona Khumalo said a group of unidentified men had passed Gwala and his group, when one of them turned and fired a shot that killed Gwala.
The attackers fled.
“We plead with the community and the police to work together in finding the suspects,” Khumalo said.
Traditional leader killed in KwaZulu-Natal
The nephew of a prominent Inkatha Freedom Party politician has been shot dead near his home in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, police confirmed on Friday.
Macala Gwala, of Nkwezela, south of Bulwer, was attacked while walking home with family and friends at 10pm on Thursday, Lt-Col Vincent Mdunge said.
His uncle, Blessed Gwala, is the leader of the IFP in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature.
The 27-year-old Macala Gwala, a traditional leader, was set to be sworn in as an inkosi, or chief, in his area.
In a statement on Friday, Gwala senior said the family “gave its most heartfelt sympathy to His Majesty the King and the House of Traditional Leaders for being robbed of a life that was taken away senselessly”.
Family spokesman Mzokhona Khumalo said a group of unidentified men had passed Gwala and his group, when one of them turned and fired a shot that killed Gwala.
The attackers fled.
“We plead with the community and the police to work together in finding the suspects,” Khumalo said.