DURBAN - AN ANC councillor in Abaqulusi Municipality, Bongumusa Ntombela, has his political future hanging by a thread after he was charged for faking death threats.
The councillor will appear in Vryheid Magistrate’s Court on Thursday where his trial for defeating the ends of justice is expected to begin.
He was arrested last year by the Provincial Organised Crime Unit after he reported to the local police that he was receiving threats on his phone.
NPA provincial spokesperson Natasha Kara told the Daily News on Wednesday that the councillor’s case would sit for trial. She said he was facing charges of defeating the ends of justice.
The Daily News has learnt that the police arrested him after finding that the cellphone used to send threats was actually his.
According to ANC sources at the municipality, the councillor was dodging council meetings when the ANC wanted to topple the IFP through a motion of no confidence and was therefore making excuses until he ran out of time. The source said he ended up telling the party that he was scared to come to council because he was getting threats against his life and hadad gone to open a case in this regard.
Ntombela confirmed that he was facing charges of defeating the ends of justice. He said he did get threats and reported them, but police found that the messages were coming from his own phone.
He said it was his old phone he was no longer using and was used by his children.
He alleged that he thought the phone was with the children, but it was lost while in their possession.
“I believe someone close to me took the phone and used it to blackmail me. This could be a political plot within my party to get me out as a councillor,” said Ntombela.
He said he was confident that he would walk out of court a free man after the trial and did not subject himself to the step-aside rule because he felt it was a minor case.
Provincial spokesperson Nhlakanipho Ntombela referred the paper to the regional leadership for comment.
Regional secretary Zakhele Buthelezi said although the party was aware it would not be able to comment because the councillor did not report to the party that he was facing charges.
He said he did not submit his name to the province for members who were affected by the step-aside rule because the councillor hid his case from the party.
“After getting the court verdict, I will then compile a report to the province. Ntombela himself will have to explain why he never reported his case to the party,” said Buthelezi.
Daily News