News24 reports that the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) has called on police to leave no stone unturned in finding those behind the assassination of Bongani Cola, deputy chairperson of the Democratic Municipal and Allied Workers Union of SA (Demawusa).  

Cola was gunned down as he was leaving his home for work by unknown assailants on Thursday morning.  "They did not take his car, which was idling outside the yard; they did not take anything in the car or from him.  They shot him twice and left him in the pool of his blood," the federation reported in a statement.  A police spokesperson confirmed that the 43-year-old was fatally shot in his abdomen and shoulder by unknown gunmen at about 07:00 outside his house in New Brighton, Port Elizabeth.  According to Saftu, Cola, together with "a core of activists" had been making rapid progress in recruiting workers in the Nelson Mandela metro.  "This undoubtedly would have angered the enemies of genuinely progressive, independent, democratic, campaigning and socialist-oriented forces.  He became a threat to the status quo, and he had to be eliminated," the federation asserted.

• Read the full original of Kamva Somdyala’s report on the above story at News24
• Read Saftu’s press statement at Saftu News

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page