16 January 2024
The Congress of South African Trade Unions(COSATU) in the Eastern Cape mourns the death of the National Union of Mineworkers’ (NUM) Regional Chairperson, Comrade Mthuthuzeli Nojoko and the Deputy Chairperson, Comrade Melumzi Boqwana. COSATU further condemns the shooting that resulted in the death of these two leaders.
COSATU and the Mass Democratic Movement leaders in the province are still reeling from shock after receiving the tragic news of their passing, particularly the circumstances under which the comrades perished.
These two comrades were on their way to Gqeberha on Sunday after attending a Staff and ROB’s meeting in East London on Saturday, 13 January 2024, when the shooting happened. A Local Organizer who was travelling with them was unharmed.
The shooting of these two comrades occurred a few days after two shooting incidents that resulted in the death of an ANC Alfred Nzo Regional Executive Committee member, Comrade Thembile Luvela and the wounding of ANC Dr. Mpilo W.B. Rubusana Regional Deputy Chairperson, Comrade Kayise Tom. COSATU in the Eastern Cape is deeply concerned about the increase of shooting incidents, which is a foreign tendency in the province. These shooting incidents bring fear into the hearts and minds of community members as they are a negative phenomenon in the society.
It is when organisations in our communities join hands with police and other law enforcement agencies and work together that prospects of combating crime get better. It is when communities are united against crime with the assistance of law enforcement agencies that they become in charge of their environment.
COSATU sincerely hopes that police will get to the bottom of this case as well as others and that perpetrators will face the full might of the law.
We express our sincere sympathy and heartfelt condolences to the Nojoko and Boqwana families, relatives, friends, colleagues, the NUM and the entire liberation movement for this shattering loss. We also hope that the organizer they were travelling with will receive psycho-social support and will recover from the effects of the ordeal.
Issued by COSATU Eastern Cape
For more information, please contact:Mkhawuleli Maleki(COSATU Provincial Secretary)
Mobile: 082 339 5482
Email: mkhawuleli@cosatu.org.za