Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa has described the murder of senior party member Khethamabala Sithole as senseless.

Sithole was gunned down at the Buyafuthi Hostel in Katlehong, Gauteng, more than a week ago.

Two suspects have since been arrested in connection with Sithole’s death and made their first appearance at the Palm Ridge Magistrate Court on Thursday.

Speaking on the sidelines of Sithole’s funeral in Nkandla, northern KwaZulu-Natal, Hlengwa says Sithole’s youngest son has not fully come to terms with what has happened to his father.

“Jobe was a good man. He did not deserve this ending at the hands of thugs and criminals who’ve got little regard for life. Nothing broke me more this week than speaking to one of his youngest sons during the visit to his family. He said to me, “Mkhulu, please explain to me  what happened to ubaba and why?” I could feel the pain, the hurt, the emotional breakdown, the psychological confusion that is there. So these kinds of things are breaking society, they are breaking families.”

IFP Petros Sithole Funeral | Mkhuleko Hlengwa weighs in

Swift arrest

IFP Deputy President Nkosi Mzamo Buthelezi has commended the police for the swift arrest of the two alleged killers of Sithole.

” We really appreciate that two have been arrested, which is a very good move, but the one who is alleged to be a trigger-happy person has not yet been found. I think the fact that a person is still hiding shows a sign of weakness on the system, but we are happy and we hope that this will be the norm as opposed to an exception so that the people of SA don’t view police as working hard when is prominent people but for all who are found to be victims of crime.”

Buthelezi says the country is not doing enough to deal with crime because law enforcers are not feared.

“I think we need to establish what it is that makes people not fear the law. It shows there is something fundamentally wrong with our criminal justice system.”

‘Selfless cadre’

The Gauteng IFP Chairperson, Bonginkosi Dlamini, on the other hand, describes Sithole as a dedicated and selfless cadre of the party for decades.

”UBaba Sithole was a very humble, loyal, and dedicated cadre of the IFP. I mean, he joined the IFP in the early 80s, and he came to Gauteng and he became a member and a leader. He was once a leader of the IFP here in Ekurhuleni and he was also a leader of the province and now the deputy chief whip of the IFP in the National Assembly. He was very dedicated and very humble; he gave it all to the party. The fact that the DP is coming here tells you that the party is honouring him and values his contribution, that’s why we even had to ask the family that the funeral should take place on Sunday so that the president who is still overseas should also attend to honour him as a dedicated and loyal member of the IFP.”

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