A car accident on the N2 has turned the spotlight on the ANC speaker of Umuziwabantu Local Municipality, with Nkosiyazi Petros Shebi now facing suspension after a crash that killed two road workers.
Shebi, who is based in Harding on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, was allegedly driving an official municipal vehicle when the tragedy struck on Monday. The crash happened while the victims were working on the N2 highway near Paddock, close to Port Shepstone.
The municipality says it has rules in place for senior councillors, including that they should not drive themselves in municipal vehicles because they are assigned chauffeurs. Those rules are now central to the questions being asked after Shebi’s vehicle left the road.
The victims were Nonjabulo Mpume Langazane (38) and Sindiswa Maria Mbotho (44). They will be buried today in ezinqoleni.
Allegations on the table as Shebi remains on bail
Shebi is currently on bail and is facing allegations that he was involved in the crash while driving under the influence of alcohol and while speeding.
According to the details shared, Shebi allegedly lost control of a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado issued to him by the municipality. The crash took place on the busy stretch of the N2 near Paddock—an area where road work and heavy traffic often mix, leaving little room for mistakes.
When contacted, Shebi said he was not in a position to answer questions, and he also said the ANC had not yet informed him that he is facing suspension.
ANC moves for leave of absence, then suspension
In the meantime, the ANC has stepped in with clear demands. Lindo Mzimela, an ANC spokesperson for the party’s Tolomane Mnyayiza Region—which includes Ray Nkonyeni in Port Shepstone and the Umuziwabantu municipalities—said the ANC has instructed its councillors to call for Shebi’s suspension.
Mzimela said the ANC’s caucus should give the speaker a leave of absence to face the charges, which are before the court.
“As the ANC in the region, we have instructed our caucus to issue an instruction that our speaker should be given a leave of absence to face his charges, which are before the court.
“Once a case opens, the ANC does not get involved, as we respect the rule of law; therefore, we instruct our ANC caucus to meet and suspend the speaker so that he can face the charges without carrying the municipality’s and ANC’S responsibilities,” said Mzimela.
Mzimela also said Shebi does not hold a leadership role in the party, but noted that he remains on the candidate list for the November 4 local government election.
“We condemn his action, which led to two deaths, even though we know it was an accident,” Mzimela said.
He added that Shebi was part of an ANC delegation that visited the bereaved families this week, as the community tried to come to terms with the loss of two workers who were earning wages and doing a job at the roadside.
Mzimela said the deceased had been unemployed and were temporarily hired for the road construction project less than two months ago.
“I know that one of them left behind a child,” said Mzimela.
Condolences visit follows tragedy on the South Coast
The ANC and municipal leadership have both moved to the families since the accident.
Umuziwabantu Mayor Siboniso Zungu visited the families this week to offer his condolences.
The municipality also issued a statement expressing concern about the allegations surrounding the crash. It said the municipality respects the rule of law and called for full cooperation with authorities so the investigation can continue without interference.
“The municipality respects the rule of law and calls for full co-operation with the relevant authorities to allow the investigation to proceed without hindrance.
“The municipality is equally dutybound to internally establish and process the circumstances surrounding the incident while respecting the ongoing police investigation and legal process,” read the statement.
Municipality says it can’t confirm alcohol claims yet
Municipality spokesperson Bruce Jalubani said the municipality cannot confirm the allegations that Shebi was under the influence of alcohol.
“That is the information we have received, but the police took his blood samples; therefore, we are waiting for a report,” he said.
Jalubani also explained that the municipality is still working to establish facts around how the accident happened—facts that will then be referred to the Rules Committee, which handles matters involving councillors.
He said that the details being examined include reports that the speaker was driving himself, even though he was not supposed to be doing so.
“According to reports, he was driving himself, and that information is of interest because he was not supposed to be driving.
“The rules state that you don’t drive yourself in the municipality’s vehicle; therefore, we will test if those allegations are true,” he said.
Jalubani added that Shebi has not disputed the allegations that he was driving himself.
He said it is also unclear where Shebi was coming from when the accident happened.
Vehicle assessment under way
The municipality said the SUV Shebi was driving is being assessed.
Jalubani said it was still too early to make assumptions about the extent of the damage, stressing that the municipality would not speculate on whether the vehicle would be declared a write-off until the assessment process is concluded.
“While the visible damage does not appear to be extensive, the municipality would not want to speculate on whether the vehicle will be declared a write-off before the assessment process is concluded,” said Jalubani.
Road safety concerns hit close to home
For families on the South Coast, this was not just another accident—two people working on the roadside lost their lives, and the crash has now raised hard questions about the way municipal officials travel and whether rules meant to protect the public were followed.
With the matter now before the courts and the municipality preparing internal processes through the rules structures, the community will be watching closely for updates—especially as police reports and blood-test results are awaited.
For now, the focus remains on the bereaved families and the burial arrangements in ezinqoleni, while the political and municipal consequences for Shebi play out.
