Johannesburg - Despite receiving death threats from an Mpumalanga hospital executive, a member of Parliament is not being protected by the SAPS, a statement from the Right2Know campaign claims.
The organisation has also said this is in stark contrast to the treatment presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is receiving as a private citizen, which includes a security detail from the Presidential Protection Unit of the SAPS, a decision many have called into question.
ANC MP Makhosi Khoza received the threats from a hospital executive after noticing “glaring deficiencies” during an oversight visit to assess levels of service delivery, the campaign said.
“(Dlamini-Zuma) is not even a member of Parliament, she is a private citizen,” said Busi Mtabana, R2K national spokesperson.
“How can they give her protection versus someone who is exposing corruption?”
A complaint has been filed in Parliament, but no action has been taken, according to the campaign.
Nearly three weeks later, “there have been no arrests, no investigation and no charges filed against the official for his bully tactics”.
Mtabana condemned the Mpumalanga province’s “style of politics”, in which she said journalists receive death threats when reporting on corruption.
Mtabana said a whistle-blower was assassinated in 2009 after exposing corruption in the construction of Mbombela Stadium for the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
Khoza has opened two cases with the police in two provinces, but the police would not comment on the protection of individuals or the status of the cases opened by Khoza.
“We are neither at liberty nor can we disclose information on matters of protection of individuals,” Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said in a statement.
“This may have implications on his or her personal security, irrespective of whether or not he or she is being protected.”
Even though it is important to get to the bottom of the threats made against Khoza, Mtabana said people should not lose sight of what sparked the threats: the conditions inside the hospital.
Fear must not prevent MPs from doing their jobs in ensuring that people receive the services they need, she said.
“We called on the police to do something. They must ensure that action is taken against this guy for making these threats,” she added.
@benjamindin