Mpumalanga ANC member fighting for his life after shooting

Mpumalanga community activist and ANC member Sizwe Nyambi is in hospital fighting for his life after he was shot hours after accusing employees of the Nkomazi local municipality of sabotaging water supplies in the region.

Nyambi was shot multiple times outside his home in Schoemansdal on Tuesday evening.

He posted a live video on Facebook. In the live video, he spoke about the ongoing water crisis in Nkomazi. “Here in Nkomazi, we have a challenge. We have a challenge of no water,” he said, alleging municipal workers were colluding to deny residents water by manipulating supply systems.

“Ever since the municipality said it was cutting hours for overtime, the workers have decided to get together and sabotage us. We are being sabotaged for overtime hours — that is why we do not have water. The water situation is not due to failure of councillors. We are being sabotaged.

“Even though water is not coming out of our taps, we put in water tanks for the municipality to fill them but that does not happen.”

Nyambi said his advocacy for his community had made him a target.

“This thing of trying to close down live videos is not working because they are not going to be closed down,” he said in a previous broadcast, expressing his commitment to speaking out against injustice.

The shooting incident unfolded just hours after Nyambi’s video was released.

Police spokesperson Col Donald Mdhluli said the shooting occurred around 9.20pm as Nyambi arrived home with a companion. Mdhluli said an armed assailant approached Nyambi and opened fire as he attempted to enter his house.

“Despite Nyambi trying to seek refuge, the suspect continued to fire,” Mdhluli said.

TimesLIVE