Suspect Shot During Xolali Khumalo’s TV Drug Bust: ActionSA Defends “Decisive Action”

An anti-drug operation in Linden, Johannesburg, turned violent over the weekend, leaving a Nigerian national suspected of drug trafficking shot and a murder case opened. The incident occurred during a raid that involved ActionSA’s Ekurhuleni Mayoral Candidate, Councillor Xolani Khumalo, who was reportedly filming for his controversial Moja Love TV show, Sizokthola.

According to police, preliminary investigations indicate that a production team was filming in the area when shots were fired, allegedly by the team’s security personnel. Following the shooting, the production team fled to a nearby police station as a crowd began to gather in protest.

Police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko confirmed that a murder case is under investigation and no arrests have been made.

ActionSA’s Justification: Confronting “Untouchable” Syndicates

ActionSA has framed the shooting as an inevitable consequence of confronting violent criminal networks. In a statement, the party defended the operation, stating it reflects “the broader challenge of confronting organised crime in communities that have been terrorised by drug-related violence.”

“For too long, drug syndicates have terrorised our communities through violence, intimidation and total disregard for the law,” said Khumalo. “ActionSA will continue to support every decisive and lawful measure to dismantle this scourge.”

The party positioned the event as part of its campaign to restore law and order in Ekurhuleni, claiming the metro has “descended into lawlessness under previous administrations.”

Blurred Lines: Vigilantism or Crime-Fighting?

The incident raises immediate questions about the line between community crime-fighting and vigilantism, especially when operations are televised. Khumalo’s show, Sizokthola, has previously faced criticism for its confrontational tactics. The involvement of a political candidate and his production team’s security in a shooting that is now a murder investigation intensifies scrutiny on the methods employed.

While ActionSA insists on supporting “lawful measures,” the police investigation will determine whether the use of force was justified or a criminal act. The party’s defiant stance suggests it is willing to embrace a hardline, dramatic approach to crime as part of its political brand, even as the legal aftermath unfolds.

For now, the Linden community is left with the fallout of a televised raid that escalated to gunfire, a suspect fatally wounded, and a murder docket that places a political campaign and a reality TV production at the center of a police probe.

{Source: Citizen}

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