Scores of ANC Youth League members are expected to pack the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court this morning as Afrika Mayibuye leader Fani Sibeko appears for allegedly gunning down a group of ANCYL members returning from a memorial service in Katlehong.
Sibeko is expected in the dock on Thursday morning after handing himself over to police following Tuesday night’s bloodbath that has left four people dead and three fighting for their lives in hospital.
The shooting has sent shockwaves through Ekurhuleni’s volatile election ground war, with the Gauteng Political Killings Task Team now taking over the investigation.
According to police and ANC insiders, the victims were ambushed in Katlehong North on Tuesday evening as they were walking home from a memorial service for slain ANC and ANCYL leader Jeanette Magugu at Mogobeng Primary School.
The suspect allegedly opened fire on the group. Two activists died at the scene, while two others later succumbed to their injuries in hospital. Three more remain hospitalised.
Sibeko has been identified as a Regional Coordination Team member of Afrika Mayibuye and was previously presented as its councillor candidate for the upcoming local government elections.
However, the party has since denied that he is its official ward candidate.
Sources say Sibeko had addressed the same memorial service where tensions flared, before allegedly turning his gun on the youth league members as they left.
Afrika Mayibuye said it was conducting its own internal investigation into the matter.
“We are following the events of last night’s incident very closely. Will share something comprehensive as soon as the details of it all are made available to us,” spokesperson Sydney Baloyi said.
The party said it would terminate his membership if the allegations are proven to be true.
The ANC in Gauteng has condemned the attack as a political assassination, while anger continues to boil over on the ground in Katlehong.
