SOUTH AFRICA · POLITICS AND SECURITY
Key Facts
- What happened A 45-year-old man was found shot dead in Motherwell, a township of Gqeberha, on Saturday 7 November 2026.
- Who he was The United Democratic Movement (UDM), a South African political party, says he was its member Luxolo Namette, a former deputy mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay.
- Police Police opened a murder docket, or case file, and name no suspect or motive.
- Party view The UDM says it cannot ignore the possibility of a political motive and will seek specialist police help.
- Local politics Motherwell is a township of Gqeberha, in Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape province.
A man the United Democratic Movement names as one of its politicians was shot dead in Gqeberha on Saturday, and his party fears politics played a part. Police say suspects and motive are under investigation.
A 45-year-old man was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head in Motherwell, an area of Gqeberha, on Saturday 7 November 2026. His party, the United Democratic Movement (UDM), says he was its member Luxolo Namette, who had served as a public representative and as a deputy mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay.
Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana, the Eastern Cape police spokesperson, said the body was found in Umnulu Street in the NU9 section of Motherwell, at about 3:50 p.m. A murder docket, or case file, has been opened, and police say suspects and motive are under investigation. Police have not named the victim, so the identification comes from the party.
Gqeberha, formerly Port Elizabeth, sits in Nelson Mandela Bay, and our South Africa coverage tracks the election aftermath.
What the Party Says
Bulelani Bobotyane, the UDM secretary-general, said the party was shocked. Namette began in the UDM Youth Vanguard, the party’s youth wing, and later chaired the municipality’s Municipal Public Accounts Committee, a watchdog committee on municipal spending.
The party said it cannot ignore the possibility that he was targeted for his political activities or public duties. It does not wish to prejudge the investigation.
The UDM will take the case to the Political Killings Task Team, a police unit for politically motivated murders, and ask for specialised attention. Whether police treat it as a political killing is for them to say.
The Political Backdrop
Nelson Mandela Bay, the metropolitan council around Gqeberha, voted on 4 November. Final results were still being declared when this report was written.
Coalition deals decide who runs a council where no party holds a majority. Our earlier story on Nelson Mandela Bay covers the metro.
On 20 June 2026, African National Congress (ANC) ward councillor (elected for one neighbourhood) Sicelo Mleve, 45, was shot dead at his ward office in Zwide, a Gqeberha township. Two suspects were arrested in July.
Mleve’s case shows that attacks on local politicians in the city predate this election. It does not tell us why Namette was killed.
What It Means for You
For US readers, the main point is that this killing comes days after local elections and police are investigating. One killing does not establish a motive, and police have named no suspect.
Readers planning a South Africa trip should follow police updates on the case. Our Cape Town City Guide offers background on travelling elsewhere in the country.
What Is Not Known
- The suspect and the motive are not known. Police say both are under investigation.
- It is not known whether politics was the reason. The UDM has said only that it cannot ignore the possibility.
- It is not known whether he still held a council seat when he died. Reports do not say.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Luxolo Namette?
The UDM names the dead man as Luxolo Namette, one of its members who served as a public representative. He began in the UDM Youth Vanguard and chaired the Municipal Public Accounts Committee.
Do police say it was political?
No, police say suspects and motive are under investigation. The UDM says it cannot ignore the possibility of a political motive.
Where is Gqeberha?
Gqeberha, formerly Port Elizabeth, is a city in Eastern Cape province. It is the centre of the Nelson Mandela Bay metropolitan council.
Police say suspects and motive are under investigation, and no more is confirmed. The next steps to watch are the UDM’s request to the task team and any police update on the motive.
Sources: Eastern Cape police statement via spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana, Saturday 7 November 2026; United Democratic Movement (UDM) party statement; media reports on the Mleve case, July 2026. Read 7 and 8 November 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. How we use AI · Report an error