Cele investigates political murders

MBOMBELA – South Africa’s police chief has appointed 12 investigators from across the country to investigate a string of what may be politically-motivated murders in Mpumalanga.

Speaking at the opening of the new Pienaar Police Station outside Mbombela on Friday, Police Commissioner General Bheki Cele urged the public to come forward with information to help solve the cases.’I’ve noted that every January from three years ago, people are being murdered,’ he said. ‘I’ve tasked 12 investigators from all the provinces to investigate.He praised Mpumalanga police for the swift arrest of four suspects implicated in the most recent murder, that of chief whip of the Ehlanzeni district municipality, Johan Ndlovu, who was killed on 5 January this year. One of the accused is a police reservist.Two other victims killed in January were speaker of the Mbombela local municipality, Jimmy Mohlala, who was shot and killed outside his house on 4 January 2009, and director of communication at the provincial Department of Arts and Culture, Sammy Mpatlanyane, who was shot in his bed with a police-issued firearm on 10 January 2010.Since 1998, at least 14 politicians or government officials have died under questionable circumstances in the province.