ANC councillor in Mogalakwena Municipality laid to rest

The African National Congress (ANC) councillor who was shot and killed in the Mogalakwena Local Municipality in Mokopane in Limpopo has been laid to rest at Moshate village on Saturday.

Councillor Valtyn Kekana, who was also the chairperson of the Municipal Public Accounts Committee, was about to release a report on financial irregularities in the municipality when he was gunned down last week.

Thousands of mourners paid their last respects to the 54-year-old ANC councillor.

Amid renewed political infighting in the ANC in the Mogalakwena sub-region, councillor Kekana and sub-regional secretary, 32-year-old Ralph Kanyane were shot and killed while sitting inside their car last Tuesday.

Kekana’s son Lehlogonolo Maringa says: “Whatever you want to call it, my father was slain to death, he was brutally murdered. I want to tell his murderers that I forgive you for murdering my father, I forgive you, and I wish you no harm but peace.”

ANC Provincial Secretary Soviet Lekganyane says the party’s provincial and national leadership must decide on the future of the Waterberg Regional Executive Committee (REC) and the Mogalakwena municipality following the killings which are believed to be politically motivated.

“We have the regional committee here which cannot be exonerated from the maladministration and the mal-governance which is taking place at the municipality. I can tell you this REC is vicariously liable for the development at the municipality.”

SA Communist Party (SACP) Waterberg regional secretary David Makhafola says the fight against corruption at Mogalakwena Municipality must continue to keep the spirit of Kekana and Kanyane alive.

The killings of Kekana and Kanyane brings to four the number of ANC members who have died due to infighting at the municipality.

They include former Chief Whip Leka Lekalakala, and Madimetja Pale, who were gunned down in 2005 and 2014 respectively.

No arrests have been made yet in the previous two shootings and also in the recent ones.

The Mogalakwena sub-region is known for instability due to political infighting by ANC members.

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