Durban city centre. (Photo: Chris Makhaye) 
This is Part Two of a series on the State of eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal. Read part one: eThekwini in crisis
Some workplaces can be regarded as graveyards for careers.
But for senior officials in eThekwini Municipality, particularly those in the Water and Sanitation Unit, the fear extends beyond career stagnation. There’s a chilling reality: they could leave in a body bag, brutally assassinated, with their killers never brought to justice.
Durban city centre. (Photo: Chris Makhaye)
In recent years, several senior eThekwini Municipality officials have been killed in drive-by shootings and other targeted hits. Most of these murders have occurred within the Water and Sanitation Unit, a department plagued by the activities of the so-called Water Tanker Mafia.
String of murders
In 2023, a 42-year-old employee was shot and killed inside a municipal building in Berea while working for the beleaguered Durban Solid Waste Unit. Her death shocked colleagues, highlighting the growing risks faced by staff.
Months later, in November 2023, Emmanuel Ntuli, a 52-year-old acting senior manager for plants and logistics in Water and Sanitation, was shot and killed at his home in Mandeni. Ntuli had reported threats from individuals demanding tenders and was under police protection. His killers are still at large.
In September 2023, Khumbulani Khumalo, a manager in the Water and Sanitation community services department, was killed while in a council vehicle in Inanda. He was found with two bullets to his head.
Earlier that year, in April 2023, Phumzile Qatha, responsible for assigning water tankers, was ambushed and shot dead at a water tanker station in Ottawa, Verulam. Her death was linked to the Water Tanker Mafia. A suspect was arrested but later released.
In February 2022, Amos Ngcobo, a senior employee at eThekwini Water Services, was gunned down in his Springfield office by unknown assailants. Ngcobo was remembered as an honest man caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The violence stretches back to July 2021 when Trevor Shazi was shot and killed while driving a municipal vehicle after the KwaZulu-Natal riots. Shazi’s colleague, Sthembiso Dube, was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment, but Shazi’s family believes others, including tenderpreneurs, were involved and continue to call for a proper investigation.
In December 2019, Colin Pather, an employee in the municipal finance department, was shot outside his home. He sustained a single gunshot wound to the head, believed to be a hit tied to corruption within the municipality’s tender system.
Fear and loathing
These murders have left an atmosphere of fear and mistrust among municipal employees. Fellow workers, activists and civic organisations believe tender corruption and sabotage are at the heart of the killings, particularly within Water and Sanitation.
Mdu Nkosi, representing the IFP in the eThekwini Executive Committee, noted that an investigation into these killings had been initiated, but no report has been released.
“These were important members of their families, and their deaths were, and still are, traumatic. They were eliminated for ‘standing in the way’ in the awarding of tenders. We’ve called for independent investigations because we don’t believe the city can impartially investigate itself,” Nkosi said.
Ish Prahladh, spokesperson for the eThekwini Ratepayers and Residents Association, alleged that the Water Tanker Mafia may be responsible for some of the killings.
While the killings have recently decreased, fear still grips staff.
One senior manager, speaking anonymously, described how a colleague, before being killed, had confided about pressure from politicians to award contracts.
“Some top officials know who the perpetrators are, but won’t speak out because they work with them – or worse, dine with them. The mafia’s modus operandi is clear: they approach you nicely, then warn you, and if you resist, they kill you.
“It’s terrifying to live not knowing if you’re the next target. Many have resigned and sought work elsewhere. These people have tasted the rewards of tenders and want more and more,” he said. DM