The family of slain ANC Ward 17 councillor Sibusiso “Khekhe” Khwela has spoken of its heartbreak following his fatal shooting, describing him as the pillar who held the family together and a selfless public servant whose only mission was to help his community.

Speaking at the family’s home in Durban on Friday, Khwela’s sister, Nana Khwela Dladla, struggled to contain her emotions as she recalled the moment the family learnt that he had been gunned down while serving residents at his constituency office in Klaarwater.

“The message came from family members. My big brother called me while I was at work. He was in shock because we never expected something like this to happen,” she said.

“My brother was a hardworking councillor who was loved by everyone. He served the community selflessly. When we arrived at the scene, we saw so many community members gathered there. It showed us that he had truly made a positive impact in people’s lives.”

Khwela was shot dead on Thursday afternoon after a man allegedly entered his office pretending to be a resident seeking assistance. According to police and eyewitnesses, the suspect waited until Khwela approached him before producing a firearm and shooting him several times before fleeing.

His killing has sent shockwaves through the community and raised fresh fears about the safety of public representatives ahead of South Africa’s Local Government Elections on 4 November.

For Khwela’s family, however, the tragedy goes beyond politics.

Fighting back tears, Khwela Dladla said the family had lost one of the three brothers who kept the household united.

“The way he was killed has left a huge wound because we have three brothers and they were inseparable. They kept this family together. They led this family well,” she said.

“We are deeply hurt as a family. We want justice. The killers must be arrested. Although bringing them to justice will not bring our brother back, we will find comfort knowing people like that have been removed from our community.”

She said senior police officials had assured the family that investigators needed time to build their case but had promised to bring those responsible to book.

Later on Friday, ANC leaders were expected to visit the Khwela family to pay their respects and offer support.

As the family mourned, police confirmed that the investigation has been handed over to the KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), a specialised unit established to investigate politically motivated murders in the province.

SAPS national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said Acting National Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane had expressed full confidence in the task team’s ability to solve the case.

“The Political Killings Task Team will lead and coordinate the investigation, with detectives already on the ground to ensure that those responsible for this senseless murder are identified, arrested and brought before the courts,” Mathe said.

The circumstances surrounding the attack have alarmed political leaders.

eThekwini Municipality Speaker and ANC regional chairperson Thabani Nyawose said Khwela had been attacked while carrying out his duties without any security because neither he nor the ANC had been aware of any threats against him.

“This incident creates fear. Fear to all councillors because if you are being shot and killed in your office while serving your community, how are you supposed to do your work?” Nyawose said.

Political killings have historically increased during election periods, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, where fierce competition for political positions has often turned deadly. Khwela’s murder comes a day before Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa officially proclaimed 4 November 2026 as the date for the country’s Local Government Elections, marking the start of the 90-day countdown to the polls.

Ahead of the elections, Hlabisa urged South Africans to participate peacefully and use their vote to bring positive change to local government.

Election experts have also sounded the alarm over the dangers of political violence and misinformation during the campaign period. Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa International Programme Officer Noxolo Gwala has warned political parties that violence and the spread of false information pose a serious threat to South Africa’s democracy.

For the Khwela family, however, those broader concerns have been overshadowed by a painful personal loss.

As mourners continue to arrive at the family home, they are left remembering a brother, son and community leader whose life ended while helping the very people he had been elected to serve, and whose family now waits for justice.