Mhlaba Memela

Mhlaba Memela

Councillors are being killed under the pretext of service delivery concerns because their rivals want to take over their jobs, an independent political analyst said yesterday.

Protas Madlala was responding to the recent killings of municipal officials by people who complained about lack of service delivery.

Madlala said: "Councillors that oppose corruption become victims. It's not about service delivery, but about people using it to further their evil deeds."

Madlala's concerns were echoed by the South African Local Government Association (Salga).

Last week Mpumalanga Govan Mbeki municipality's deputy mayor Thandi Mtshweni, Free State Metsimaholo municipality's chief whip Ntai Mokoena and Free State Lejweleputsa municipality's official Moses Mosala were killed.

Amos Masondo, Salga's deputy chairman and Johannesburg's executive mayor, said there was no justification for the killings.

"The torching of municipal buildings, the destruction of property and the disruption of the day-to-day normal life of residents and citizens is disgusting.

"Our democracy provides legitimate forms of protest.

"Those who want to register their dissatisfaction should rightfully do so within the parameters of the law. Any action outside of such legitimate means opens the whole society to acts of anarchy and barbarism," Masondo said.

Masondo called on all communities to unite against lawlessness and not to allow anarchy to be perpetuated in their names.