S. African police arrest suspect in killing of prominent politician

CAPE TOWN - South African police have arrested a suspect in the killing of former African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) leader Sindiso Magaqa, Minister of Police Bheki Cele confirmed on Thursday.

A special team that Cele established in July made the arrest. The suspect's name was not disclosed.

The suspect appeared in the Umzimkhulu Magistrate's Court in Durban on murder charges on Thursday, Cele told reporters in Durban, the minister said.

"He (the suspect) is not the last one. We're still hunting some other people," Cele said.

Magaqa, a ward councillor in KwaZulu-Natal Province and former ANCYL secretary general, was shot in July 2017 and died of complications from gunshot wounds two months later, at the age of 35.

Magaqa was shot during a drive-by shooting, together with fellow councillors Nontsikelelo Mafa and Jabu Msiya. Mafa and Msiya survived the attack.

There were speculations that Magaqa was killed because he was on the brink of exposing corruption linked to a community hall.

Magaqa was only one of the victims killed as a spate of political killings rocked the nation, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, where several politicians have been killed since the beginning of this year.

The killings have prompted President Cyril Ramaphosa to appoint an inter-ministerial committee to investigate.