He was approximately 45 and a father of three. Party members and officials expressed shock at the killing, which occurred while he was attending a virtual (Zoom) meeting with the regional elections team to prepare for the 4 November local government elections.
According to reports, unknown men arrived at his home around 21:00, knocked on the door, and opened fire when he answered, killing him at the scene. Participants in the meeting noticed he stopped responding; they were then informed of the shooting. Police found him lying in a pool of blood with gunshot wounds. Suspects remain unknown, and no motive has been established.
MK Party provincial spokesperson Mkhuseli Mlengane (and other party voices) described it as a devastating blow to the organisation, Shazi’s family, and the communities he served. The party has urged members not to speculate, called for a thorough investigation by the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), and said it has no leads. Officials later noted the killing brought the number of MK Party officials and aspiring candidates murdered since July to 15.
The incident occurred amid broader concerns about political violence in KwaZulu-Natal ahead of the municipal elections. Police had previously reported around 20 murders involving political representatives, members, or supporters during the election period. Separate incidents involving other parties (including ActionSA) were also reported around the same time. Police are investigating the case as murder; no arrests had been publicly announced in initial reports.
This remains a developing story focused on the police investigation.
