SACP condemns the murder of ANC councillor Sicelo Mleve

[SACP Communications]

South African Communist Party

SACP condemns the murder of ANC councillor Sicelo Mleve

Sunday, 21 June 2026: The South African Communist Party (SACP) condemns the killing of comrade Sicelo Mleve, an ANC councillor in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. We convey our heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of South Africa for the loss.

Comrade Sicelo’s brutal murder is a sad occurrence. He was a prominent leader of the progressive movement in the region, having gained political experience in the youth movement and consistently assuming various roles over time.

The brutal murder of Comrade Sicelo is not a random act of violence but is part and parcel of the prevalent political violence in Eastern Cape Province. It follows a series of other incidents that are part of organised crime in the city of Gqeberha, and it represents the escalation of an already existing crisis.

As the SACP, we are deeply concerned about the unrelenting nature of political violence in the Nelson Mandela Bay region. We have repeatedly called for a systematic response to the deepening crisis of political violence across the country. The failure to respond to this crisis threatens South Africa’s governance and indeed our national security as a whole. The fact that these political murders occur on the eve of local government elections only serves to magnify the extent of the crisis. We call for a swift response from law enforcement while putting in place preventative measures that curb this crisis.