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Former ANCYL SG Sindiso Magaqa
55-year-old Zweliphansi Skhosana, a former Municipal Manager of the Umzimkhulu Municipality appeared briefly in the Umzimkhulu Magistrate’s Court in KwaZulu-Natal, in connection with the murder of former ANC Youth League Secretary-General, Sindiso Magaqa in 2017.
Skhosana was arrested in Durban on Monday. He was previously arrested in 2018 alongside Umzimkhulu mayor, Mluleki Ndobe who has since died.
Charges were later provisionally withdrawn.
A group of community members and ANC members joined the family of the late ANC Youth League Secretary General outside the court.
The family welcomed the arrest of the 55-year-old former Municipal Manager in connection with his murder in 2017.
Magaqa was injured when attackers opened fire on his car in July 2017.
He died in hospital months later. He was with Jabulile Msiya and Nonsikelelo Mafa in the car when he was attacked.
Sikhosana’s arrest comes weeks after hitman Sibusiso Ncengwa was sentenced to 25-years imprisonment after pleading guilty.
In his plea, Ncengwa named a number of people and their roles in Magaqa’s murder.
Magaqa’s brother, Lwazi says the family is disappointed they were not in court during the proceedings.
“We are happy that there is a second suspect who has been apprehended. What worries the family is that today was the day of the case, as the family we were not informed of anything happening inside the court. Only the family of the second suspect was allowed inside the court. The case has been remanded to Friday, August 1. Maybe that is when we are going to get more information.”
Sindiso Magaqa Case | Ex-municipal manager to appear in court
Magaqa’s friend, Thabiso Zulu believes there are more suspects that need to be arrested,
“There was a certain R600 000 we are told came from Johannesburg. We want that person who deposited that money to be arrested. We also expect that the police that played a role bought the Mercedes Benz, procured the AK47. So there are still a lot of other people we expect they need to be arrested in this matter.”
Meanwhile, police in KwaZulu-Natal have commended the work of the political killings task team that has arrested Sikhosana.
Police spokesperson Robert Netshiunda says they cannot rule out the possibility of more arrests,
“The investigation will determine that and what happens in court will also determine that. What we have for now we believe we have mostly concluded the investigation, the man in custody could be the mastermind or somebody who would have ordered the hit.
He could be the one we have in custody hence the charge of conspiracy to commit murder and the charge of murder. We cannot rule out any possibility of more arrests. When we made this arrest, we still expected to investigate further and those investigations might lead us in another direction.”
The case has been adjourned to Friday.
The case of the other two accused, Sbonelo Myeza and Mbulelo Mpofana was separated from Ncengwa’s when he pleaded guilty.
Their trial has been set down for October.
The fourth accused, Mlungisi Ncalane was declared unfit to stand trial and is currently in a psychiatric facility.
