Two people shot after ANC branch meeting fails to take place

One person died while another is recovering in hospital after they were shot after an ANC branch general meeting (BGM) in KaNyamazane, outside Mbombela in Mpumalanga, failed to happen due to conflict on Sunday. 

Provincial police spokesperson Brig Selvy Mohlala said: "Information at the police's disposal is that at around 9am on Sunday plus or minus 300 community members converged for a BGM and they were joined by some community members from Pienaar to support a ward councillor. 

"While waiting for the meeting to start, there was conflict among themselves which led to the cancellation of the meeting. Some members were not happy about  the cancellation of the meeting.

"After the unsuccessful meeting, two individuals were shot at KaNyamazane shopping complex. One of them was certified dead at KaNyamazane Clinic while the other one, Themba Khoza, was taken to a private hospital. He is from Pienaar. A case of murder and attempted murder were registered." 

Mohlala said members of the public order police were called after the community started closing the roads. 

No-one was arrested. 

A community member who attended the meeting told Sowetan that the person who died was shot in the upper body at close range. 

"It's scary now to attend meetings because people are armed," the ANC member said. 

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