By Becker Semela:
The African National Congress (ANC) Parliamentary Caucus has expressed deep sorrow following the tragic and untimely death of Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) Deputy Chief Whip, Khethamabala Petros “KP” Sithole. Sithole was gunned down in an apparent assassination in Gauteng on Saturday. In a statement issued on Sunday, ANC Chief Whip Mdumiseni Ntuli described Sithole as “a humble servant of the people” whose leadership in Parliament and in his community was marked by dignity, fairness and respect.
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) confirmed Sithole’s assassination. IFP national spokesperson and Deputy Minister of Transport Mkhuleko Hlengwa said on Facebook that Sithole (68) was gunned down in Katlehong, Gauteng, on Saturday evening. He said the details about his death were still sketchy at the moment.
ANC’s Ntuli paid tribute to Sithole and praised his special leadership qualities. “Sithole possessed the highest qualities of leadership in Parliament and outside, he exhibited outstanding maturity, fairness and respect for other people’s views. He was a humble servant of the people, capable of executing his tasks with dignity and treating people from different political parties with honour,” Ntuli said.
He said Sithole stood out as a true champion of peace and unity, who embraced the diversity of South Africa’s democratic Parliament. “The ANC Caucus called on law enforcement agencies to act quickly and arrest those responsible for what it labelled a “heinous crime”. “Justice must prevail not only for the grieving Sithole family, but also for the members and supporters of the IFP,” Ntuli said.
He described Sithole’s passing as a loss not only to his party, but to the whole of Parliament and the people of South Africa. As Parliament and the nation mourn the loss of a dedicated public servant, Ntuli’s words sum up the collective grief of all those who worked with Sithole. “The loss of Honourable Sithole is a loss to all of us in Parliament and to the people of South Africa. The ANC joins the IFP and the rest of the country in mourning this senseless act of violence and in celebrating the life and service of KP Sithole, a leader, a peacemaker and a patriot,’ said Ntuli.
Sithole had been a member of Parliament since 2010 and a loyal member of the IFP since 1979. Known for his belief in the IFP’s principles of self-help, self-reliance and devolution of power, Sithole served in multiple key parliamentary committees and leadership roles over the years.
Since first entering Parliament in 2010, he has served in various roles, including on the transport, tourism, sport and recreation, and public works committees. He has also held leadership positions for the IFP in the Gauteng province. At the time of his death, he was a member of the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, an Alternate Member of the Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, and a member of the Ethics and Members’ Interests Committee and the Communications and Digital Technologies Committee.
Hlengwa said the IFP expected the law enforcement agencies to spare no effort to bring the perpetrators of “this heinous crime to justice”. “Hon Sithole was a hard-working servant leader of the people and our country. We have lost a trusted patriot and a diligent leader of the IFP, Hlengwa said.
Sithole held a Certificate in Policy Development and Human Settlements and was widely respected for his knowledge of governance and his ability to work across party lines. – @NewsSA_Online
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