EFF Calls for Investigation into Alleged Political Conspiracy Behind Sindiso Magaqa’s Assassination
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in KwaZulu-Natal have issued a scathing demand for a full investigation into uMzimkhulu Local Municipality officials accused of masterminding the 2017 assassination of former ANC Youth League Secretary-General, Sindiso Magaqa.
This renewed pressure comes in the wake of a dramatic guilty plea by murder accused Sibusiso Ncengwa, who appeared in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on June 9, 2025. In a 13-page affidavit, Ncengwa implicated former municipal manager Zweliphansi Skhosana, ex-mayor Mluleki Ndobe, and an unnamed journalist, alleging they paid R600,000 to carry out the hit — with the promise of a R1 million municipal tender as a reward.
“An Inside Job to Silence a Corruption Fighter”
EFF KZN chairperson Mongezi Twala described Magaqa’s assassination as an “inside job” orchestrated from within the ANC, targeting a vocal anti-corruption crusader who was “uncovering rot within the uMzimkhulu Municipality.”
“This was not random criminality. It was a calculated move to eliminate a voice exposing corruption,” Twala stated. “The state must act swiftly and decisively to bring every individual involved — no matter how politically connected — to justice.”
Magaqa’s Murder: A Stain That Won’t Fade
Sindiso Magaqa, aged 34, was gunned down in July 2017 in a politically charged attack that shocked the nation. He succumbed to his injuries weeks later, sparking widespread calls for justice and clean governance.
The case has long been marred by delays, speculation, and fears of political cover-ups. With Ncengwa’s confession now reviving public and legal scrutiny, attention turns once again to the co-accused: Sbonelo Myeza, Mbulelo Mpofana, and Mlungisi Ncalane, whose trial is scheduled to resume in January 2026.
Mounting Pressure on the State
The EFF’s call adds to growing public demand for accountability in politically motivated killings, a plague that continues to haunt South Africa’s local politics, especially in KwaZulu-Natal.
Legal experts warn that Ncengwa’s affidavit — if substantiated — could form the basis for fresh indictments and parliamentary oversight inquiries into the abuse of municipal resources and state capture at local government level.
Will Justice Finally Be Served?
As the political fallout grows, South Africans are watching closely to see whether this bombshell revelation will lead to real accountability or yet another buried scandal. The EFF has vowed to mobilize protests and use parliamentary pressure if decisive state action is not taken in the coming weeks.
