Shock in Gqeberha as ANC Councillor’s Assistant Murdered Minutes Before Minister’s Visit

Gqeberha woke up to tragedy on Thursday when a 47-year-old woman, who worked as an assistant to an ANC councillor, was shot dead in New Brightonjust half an hour before Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi was due to visit the township.

A targeted killing in broad daylight

According to police, the woman was waiting outside a property on Dubula Street around 8am, hoping to gain access to her car parked inside. Before she could do so, unknown gunmen approached and opened fire, killing her instantly.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana confirmed that detectives have launched a manhunt. “The motive is not yet known and forms a critical part of the investigation,” she said.

Community reeling in grief

News of the killing spread quickly, shocking residents already weary from rising violent crime in Nelson Mandela Bay. For many, the timing of the attack, minutes before a high-profile ministerial visitfelt especially chilling.

Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Babalwa Lobishe expressed deep sorrow, describing the victim as “a dedicated servant to the councillor and the community, but also a mother and wife whose life was cut short in a senseless act of violence.”

ANC regional leaders, accompanied by Minister Kubayi and provincial representatives, later visited the grieving family to offer support.

A bitter moment in Women’s Month

Lobishe did not shy away from linking the tragedy to the broader issue of violence against women. “This murder, committed in Women’s Month, is an affront to the values we hold dear as a society,” she said, urging police to move swiftly in arresting the suspects.

Justice Minister’s warning: “Prosecutors are not safe”

Ironically, Minister Kubayi was in New Brighton to assess challenges facing the local magistrate’s court. She highlighted a disturbing pattern of attacks on legal professionals, noting that in less than a year, three prosecutors had been killed in the Eastern Cape.

“One of the most urgent things we need is a justice system that works,” she said. “But for that to happen, prosecutors must feel safe. If they are constantly looking over their shoulders, justice is compromised.”

Her words now ring even louder in the wake of the councillor’s assistant’s murder, raising questions about whether political and judicial figures and those close to them, are being deliberately targeted.

A community call for answers

Residents of New Brighton have long spoken of rising gun violence and the feeling that political figures and their associates are increasingly vulnerable. While investigators have not yet confirmed whether this was a political hit or a personal attack, many locals fear it could be part of a broader pattern of violence in the metro, where crime and politics often collide.

Police appeal for information

Detectives are urging anyone with information to come forward. Witnesses or those with tips can contact Detective Warrant Officer Ryan van Eck at 083 469 4371, call Crime Stop at 08600 10111, or use the MySAPS app. Authorities have promised that all information will be treated confidentially.

The killing of an ANC councillor’s assistant in New Brighton is more than a personal tragedy, it highlights the fragile state of safety in Nelson Mandela Bay and the dangers facing those connected to politics and justice. As the community mourns, all eyes are now on investigators to deliver swift arrests and on government to prove that no one, not even the most vulnerable, will be left unprotected.

{Source: The Citizen}

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