A Nongoma municipal official has been arrested for last year’s murder of the municipality’s internal auditor‚ Archie Duma.

The arrest‚ announced by police on Wednesday‚ brings the number of arrested people to two.

Police spokeswoman Colonel Thembeka Mbhele said the 39-year-old was arrested on Wednesday in the KwaHolinyoka area‚ outside Nongoma‚ by the Provincial Organised Crime Investigating Unit‚ together with a team from the National Intervention Unit.

Duma was gunned down on August 16 last year.

Mbhele said Duma had just finished with a meeting at about 4.30pm when he was gunned down outside. He was shot six times.

Mbhele said the detectives had first made a breakthrough in March this year when they arrested Phakamani Mthembu‚ 27‚ in Secunda in Mpumalanga province.

“Phakamani was charged with the murder of Duma and he appeared at the Nongoma Regional Court‚” he said‚ adding that he was expected to appear again next week for a formal bail hearing.

But after following up on leads‚ the Provincial Organised Crime Investigating Unit Detectives were led back to KwaNongoma‚ where they nabbed their latest suspect.

 “Upon hearing the police officers approaching his home the suspect ran and jumped the fence into the bushes in pitch darkness but the members caught up with him and he was arrested. The arrested official was charged with the murder and conspiracy to commit murder and will appear at the KwaNongoma Regional Court on Friday‚” she said.

KwaZulu-Natal Acting Provincial Commissioner Major Bheki Langa has commended the police for their hard work in apprehending the suspect.