The late Councillor Xoliseka Bathandwa Lali
Komani
The Honorable Councilor Xoliseka Bathandwa Lali, who was the Portfolio Head for Infrastructure Development and Human Settlement and also served as Emalahleni Municipality Whip of the council, was gunned down.
Councilor Xoliseka Lali was sworn in, at the current term of office in 2021, as the Proportional Representative of the African National Congress (ANC). He was shot dead in Komani where he was residing. In a statement, the municipality said it learnt of his passing this morning (22 July 2025).
Emalahleni Speaker, the Honorable Councilor Ncedisa Mtyobile, told the Eastern Cape Messenger, “We have lost a dedicated servant of the people who served Emalahleni Local Municipality with diligence. His directorate was dealing directly with service delivery. His responsibility as the Whip of Council was to ensure that council business took place as planned for the benefit of the people.”
Emalahleni Mayor Cllr Nontombizanele Koni expressed shock at Lali’s murder, “We are shocked by this tragic incident which is foreign in our place and would like to ask that we remain calm, even though it hurts to lose a young man with the potential to serve the nation. Xoliseka was a pillar of strength in so many ways in our council as he was deployed to lead us, as the majority party in council and automatically as the Whip of Council.
“His approach to issues was like a glue to bind us to look in the same direction. We have lost a dedicated cadre of people. A young, energetic man who was ready to tackle any challenge faced in our communities. “This loss is painful for us councilors who have served with him since 2021 and, as the Executive Committee and the Troika, it will never be the same as facing his absence.”
The municipality is pleading with members of the public to give the family a chance to grieve.
