The Johannesburg ANC on Thursday said it could not rule out that a councillor who was shot and wounded earlier this week was targeted because of his position.

Chief Whip Cllr Jongizizwe Dlabathi said they were hoping that the police investigation would shed more light into this.

"The shooting happened on Monday March 19. It was late in the evening and Lifu Phillemon Nkosi was coming from organisational duty‚" said Dlabathi. "Apparently there was a Quantum that went past and [from it‚ someone] shot at his car. He was injured and immediately rushed to hospital in Vosloorus."

Dlabathi said the timing of the shooting was a cause for concern. "We are disturbed at this unfortunate development‚ which comes at a time when the governing party is doing everything possible to ensure that there is peace and stability through fighting crime in our communities‚" he said.

In one of the most recent political attacks‚ an elections co-ordinator and two other people were shot dead in Mfume (KZN) earlier this month.

The attack happened amid the Independent Electoral Commission's voter registration drive to allow the electorate to confirm their details.

Sihle Zikalala‚ ANC KZN provincial interim committee coordinator‚ said Nqobizwe Mkhize‚ 42‚ was “assassinated” in the early hours of the morning at his residence in Imfume‚ Ward 105 of eThekwini municipality. Mkhize was responsible for election mobilisation in the district.

“While escaping the scene‚ the assassins fired shots at two other community members who sadly also lost their lives. It’s sad that yet another dark cloud of brutal killings has engulfed our province‚” Zikalala said.

He said while the full details regarding Mkhize’s murder remained sketchy‚ it appeared that he was attacked while sleeping. He was shot in the presence of his wife.

“The attackers instructed his wife to cover herself while they opened fire on comrade Mkhize and left him dead on the scene. This dastardly assassination of Mkhize leaves a huge void in the ranks of the ANC‚ the alliance and the mass democratic movement in general. He was a true revolutionary who served our community with dedication.”