SERI Statement on the Assassination of Abahlali baseMjondolo’s eNkanini Leader, Zweli ‘Khabazela’ Mkhize

PRESS STATEMENT
17 FEBRUARY 2026

STATEMENT ON THE ASSASSINATION OF ABAHLALI BASEMJONDOLO’S ENKANINI LEADER, ZWELI ‘KHABAZELA’ MKHIZE

The Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa (SERI) condemns the assassination of Zweli ‘Khabazela’ Mkhize, treasurer of Abahlali baseMjondolo’s eNkanini branch in Gauteng. Mkhize was shot and killed on Thursday evening, 12 February 2026. In a statement, Abahlali baseMjondolo reported that he was assassinated by two gunmen while visiting his friend’s home in the settlement in Allandale, Gauteng. Before he was killed, Mkhize received threatening calls in 2025. He joins a long list of Abahlali leaders and members who have been targeted and assassinated since 2009. SERI stands firmly in solidarity with Abahlali and extends its condolences to Mkhize’s loved ones, the eNkanini branch and the broader Abahlali movement.

Mkhize has been described as a pillar of the eNkanini branch and is remembered by Abahlali and his comrades as an intelligent, honest, and committed leader who prioritised his community’s needs and interests. His murder has robbed his branch and the movement of a principled leader who has paid the ultimate price for his work with Abahlali baseMjondolo. He was 52 years old at the time of his death and is survived by his spouse and three children.

Mkhize’s assassination follows a sustained pattern of violence against Abahlali baseMjondolo. In 2022, Abahlali lost four of its members, three of whom were also targeted and assassinated for their role as leaders in the eKhenana branch. In July 2023, Khayalihle Gwabuzela (also known as Khaya Ngubane) was found guilty of murdering Ayanda Ngila, the deputy chairperson of the eKhenana branch. Ngila was 30 years old at the time of his death and was a respected leader in Abahlali.

Before this conviction, two members of the African National Congress (ANC) and a hired hitman were convicted for the murder of Thuli Ndlovu, who was shot and killed in her home in 2014. Ndlovu served as the chairperson of Abahlali’s KwaNdengezi branch and was 36 years old at the time of her death. She was known for her bravery and courage as she exposed corruption in KwaNdengezi. Despite these convictions, justice and accountability for politically motivated assassinations of Abahlali leaders remain rare.

In March 2024, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) announced that a task team by the South African Police Service (SAPS) would investigate the assassinations suffered by the movement over the years. This task team was to report to the SAHRC regularly. Unfortunately, the updates that Abahlali has received from the SAHRC reflect very slow progress, and Abahlali fears that the matter is not being treated with the seriousness it deserves.

As a result of the assassination, six leaders from eNkanini are now in hiding. Three leaders from Abahlali’s National Council have been in hiding following threats and attempts on their lives in the past. The targeted victimisation and violence levelled against Abahlali baseMjondolo is evidence of shrinking democratic space and the use of violence against dissenting voices. Over the years, Abahlali has been attacked for insisting on the dignity of impoverished people and that they too deserve to have access to land, basic services, and the freedom to exercise their civil and political rights, which are promises encapsulated in South Africa’s 30-year-old Constitution. A failure to hold those responsible for these assassinations breeds a culture of impunity that further corrodes the little trust left in South Africa’s criminal justice system.

SERI calls for a thorough investigation into the assassination of Zweli Mkhize and other Abahlali leaders who have been targeted and assassinated. We also urge the state and the police, in particular, to prioritise all cases of political killings, including activists and whistleblowers who are targeted for their activism. We also call for the protection of movement leaders and individuals associated with Abahlali baseMjondolo facing intimidation and repression. Finally, we call for justice for Zweli Mkhize and mourn his untimely death.

Contact details:

Thato Masiangoako, SERI researcher: thato[at] seri-sa.org
Nomzamo Zondo, SERI executive director: nomzamo[at]seri-sa.org

https://seri-sa.org/index.php/latest-news/1474-press-statement-statement-on-the-assassination-of-abahlali-basemjondolos-enkanini-leader-zweli-khabazela-mkhize-17-february-2026