Durban- Endumeni Municipality Speaker Bongiwe Mbatha-Makhathini (IFP), the alleged target of an assassination plot by two of her party colleagues, including her boss, mayor Siboniso Mbatha, says she has been receiving death threats since last year.
In February her bodyguard was shot at her home and later died in hospital from his injuries.
Late on Wednesday, Mbatha, along with uMtshezi (Estcourt) councillor Mthembeni Majola and alleged hit man Xolani Mkhwanazi, were arrested for conspiracy to commit murder.
They appeared at the Estcourt Magistrate’s Court and were remanded until their next court appearance, on May 31.
Mbatha-Makhathini said of the incident in February when her bodyguard was killed: “I was asleep when I was awakened by the sound of a gunshot. When I peeped through the window, I saw my bodyguard lying in a pool of blood.
“Before he died a few days later, he told us that a man had tried to force his way into my house before shooting him (the bodyguard),” said Mbatha-Makhathini.
Mbatha took over as mayor after his party unseated the ANC in the 2016 local government elections.
KwaZulu-Natal Hawks spokesperson Simphiwe Mhlongo said the trio had allegedly plotted to assassinate Mbatha-Makhathini “who is alleged to be an obstacle in the awarding of a tender”.
“It is understood the Speaker allegedly suspected undue influence and possible corruption in the process,” said Mhlongo.
A councillor said the plot against Mbatha-Makhathini was linked to the murder of her bodyguard.
Mbatha-Makhathini said she also believed that the arrests were linked to an attempt on her life. She said that since early last year she had been receiving death threats, which she reported to the police and the council.
She said that after the murder of her bodyguard the police conducted a security analysis on her and upgraded her security.
Mbatha-Makhathini said she suspected that the attempt on her life was linked to her stance against corruption in the municipality. But she declined to reveal details of the corruption as the provincial Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) was still conducting an investigation “under section 106”.
“Cogta informed us about the investigation in November last year,” she said.
IFP spokesperson Joshua Mazibuko expressed shock at the arrest and murder plot.
“What worries the IFP is the fact that these allegations implicate a leader who is supposed to be exemplary.
“As a political party we view this in a very serious light.
“We have begun our internal processes towards understanding what happened with a view to taking appropriate steps,” said Mazibuko.
Cogta MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube appealed to law enforcement agencies to expedite this case.
“We urge the community of eNdumeni to remain calm while the due process is taking place.
“In the meantime, we will be following all developments intently and we will comment on the matter, including allegations of undue influence and possible corruption at the municipality, comprehensively in due course,” said Dube-Ncube.
Community Safety and Liaison MEC Mxolisi Kaunda commended the Hawks for their fight against political killings in KwaZulu-Natal.
“The arrest of a mayor will send a strong message that the law will be applied without fear or favour. Politicians and public representatives who are plotting to eliminate their colleagues must rot in jail.
“This also confirms our position that greed and entitlement are among the causes of the spate of murders of public representatives in the province,” said Kaunda.
The ANC’s KwaZulu-Natal task team co-ordinator, Sihle Zikalala, said Mbatha and Majola did not deserve to remain in public office with the charges they were facing.
“The attitude of the IFP leadership towards this arrest will be crucial in stamping out corrupt public representatives in the council they lead,” Zikalala said.