PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS FLASH - The death of Bitou EFF branch secretary for Ward 5, Ntsikelo Kienkie, has increased the determination of the party to contest as many wards as possible in the upcoming municipal elections, according to Western Cape EFF management.
"We [the EFF] planned to contest as many wards as possible along the Garden Route, but Kienkie's death motivated us even more to contest all the wards," said Melikhaya Xego, WC EFF provincial secretary. He confirmed this included 75 Garden Route municipal wards (27 wards in George; 11 in Knysna; 14 in Mossel Bay; 7 in Bitou; 13 in Oudtshoorn; 4 in Kannaland; and 9 in Hessequa).
Kienkie (37) was shot and killed by a Kwanokuthula police member on Boxing Day. Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) spokesperson Robbie Raburabu said members of the Kwanokuthula visible policing had been called out to a domestic violence complaint on December 26. "On arrival the 37-year-old man [Kienkie] allegedly threatened police with a panga. The police allegedly tried to "calm him down" but he kept attacking them. "They fired off a warning shot, but this also did not stop him. A constable then shot him," he said.
"Ipid is investigating a case of murder against the constable," Raburabu added.
On Saturday, January 9 Kienkie was laid to rest, with Xego addressing the approximately 300 people attending the funeral. Xego said he spoke on behalf of EFF national leader Julius Malema, who could not attend the funeral due to other commitments.
At Ntsikelo Kienkie, Bitou EFF branch secretary for ward 5, Melikhaya Xego, WC EFF Provincial Secretary blamed the ANC for Kienkie's death. Xego addressed the people at the funeral with a banner "Zuma must pay back the money" hanging on the stage in front of him.
Read more in Thursday's Knysna-Plett Herald, and online.
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