EFF claims assassination attempt on its Gauteng leader Nkululeko Dunga

'Eight heavily armed assailants fled the scene by jumping over the wall'

An alleged assassination attempt on EFF Gauteng chair Nkululeko Dunga was thwarted in the early hours of Wednesday morning, the party said.

Dunga, who is the former Ekurhuleni finance MMC, is said to have been a target of an assassination attempt at his Johannesburg home. The attempt was thwarted by a security officer who engaged in a gunfight with at least three gunmen who had been hiding on the roof of Dunga’s home.

Party spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys said at least eight heavily armed assailants descended on Dunga’s home where his partner, two children and grandmother were present.

“At about 12am, suspicious footsteps were heard on the roof, prompting commissar Dunga’s son to request a security check. By 2am, security personnel, while conducting rounds, were ambushed and shot at by armed intruders who had positioned themselves on the roof,” said Mathys.

“The security guard returned fire, engaging with at least three shooters before eight heavily armed assailants fled the scene by jumping over the wall. For two hours, these men lay in wait, ready to carry out what was clearly a co-ordinated and premeditated attempt on the life of a revolutionary leader.”

...security personnel, while conducting rounds, were ambushed and shot at by armed intruders who had positioned themselves on the roofLeigh-Ann Mathys, EFF spokesperson 

According to Mathys, no-one was killed, but she said the gravity of the ambush could not be taken lightly.

The EFF said it believes the attack was well co-ordinated with a goal of killing its Gauteng leader.

Mathys said that the police responded swiftly and took forensics.

The party said it was concerned at the escalating political violence in the country.

“This assassination attempt is part of a disturbing and growing trend of violence targeting political figures and whistle-blowers across the country,” said Mathys.

“The rising lawlessness and the ease with which guns for hire are deployed in these attacks reflect the state’s failure to protect its citizens. With the murders of whistle-blower Babita Deokoran and former West Rand district municipality's Refentse Mangope, political violence is becoming alarmingly normalised.”

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