Canaan Mdletshe

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for agriculture and environmental affairs Mtholephi Mthimkhulu's VIP protection unit guard, Khanyisani Zondo, has been charged with attempted murder.

He allegedly shot his nephew after a family dispute.

Nhlakanipho Sibisi, who was shot in the shoulder, has laid a charge at Nongoma police station.

The uncle and nephew apparently argued over a family issue on Sunday afternoon.

Sibisi is deputy chairperson of the South African Student Congress (Sasco) at Mangosuthu University of Technology in Umlazi.

He told Sowetan yesterday that his uncle had shot him during a heated quarrel over "family matters".

Sibisi said: "We have not been on talking terms since my mother passed away some time ago. There have been a lot of things that happened, which resulted in our arguing now and again.

"But things got heated on Sunday during a family ritual."

Sibisi said he decided to lay a charge because his uncle did not apologise or show any remorse.

"I would not have gone to the police had he apologised.

"He shot me with a state firearm. I was fortunate that the bullet went through the shoulder without causing much damage," Sibisi said.

Police spokesperson Captain Vusi Mbatha confirmed that a case of attempted murder had been opened. "Police are investigating," he said.

Meanwhile, the case of Constable Hlanganani Nxumalo, the former bodyguard of social development MEC Meshack Radebe, was postponed in the Pietermaritzburg regional court on Tuesday.

He will appear in court again on May 7.

Nxumalo faces eight charges of attempted murder and one of malicious damage to property.