Johannesburg - What used to be the office of Julius Malema and that of his former personal assistant were burgled this week. Malema has been expelled from the party and banned from setting foot in Luthuli House.
His former PA Moshala Mothiba’s computer hard drive and monitor were stolen. Books and files were stolen from Malema’s office. Mothiba is still employed by the ANC. She could not be reached for comment.
It is not clear if the break-in happened last weekend or early this week when delegates were meeting at Gallagher Convention Centre for the four-day ANC policy conference.
Joburg police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Lorraine van Emmerik confirmed the theft and said a case had been opened at the Johannesburg Central police station.
Van Emmerik said she could not reveal whose office was broken into and what was stolen from that office.
“The incident happened while the people were at (the policy) conference,” she said. “I can confirm that a case of business break-in at Luthuli House was opened with the police and (we) are investigating.”
Two independent sources at Luthuli House said the computer contained files about the daily running of the youth league. But the motive could not be established.
The sources said the door was neither broken nor forced open.
Malema would not comment this week while youth league spokeswoman Khusela Sangoni said this was a criminal matter.
ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu confirmed seeing the police in the building but did not know whether they were there to investigate the matter. He said ANC security did not deal with criminal matters.
Malema has not been in Luthuli House since he was expelled earlier this year, and he was barred from entering ANC national and provincial offices.
The break-in comes two months after the house of Muzi Sikhakhane, a lawyer for Malema, was broken into. It was reported later that documents relating to the case Sikhakhane was handling for Minister of Human Settlements Tokyo Sexwale were stolen.
Sunday Independent