Cape Town - Political parties have spoken out after an attack on Executive Chairperson of Sekunjalo Investment Holdings and Independent Media Dr Iqbal Survé, saying it was an attempt to muzzle him.
PAC president Naruis Moloto said it was clear that there were dark forces aimed at taking down Survé while ATM leader Vuyo Zungula said there was a group of people intent on removing people with an alternative voice.
The pair's response comes after a team of top Western Cape police detectives were assembled to probe a complaint of intimidation by Survé.
This after he received a text message in the early hours of the morning last month.
The message alerted him that someone had been sent to tamper with his vehicle’s brakes. Hours later when he read the message, Survé sent his driver to go and check the vehicle, which was securely parked behind locked gates.
Unusually, the vehicle was found unlocked. When the driver looked inside, he noticed a thick white substance smeared on the driver’s headrest.
The driver (whose name is being withheld) was advised to take a shower and to contact Survé immediately if he had any headaches or difficulty breathing. In the weeks preceding the incident, Survé said he had received several calls and messages indicating that there could be attempts on his life.
He said he was then advised to formally lodge a complaint with the police, which he did at the Table Bay Harbour police station that afternoon. The driver also gave a statement to police.
Moloto said: “I have known Dr Iqbal Survé since the days of the Struggle. Once I met him when I was on a guerrilla operation in the Western Cape and he was a student activist at the university. His contribution to our democracy cannot be overlooked. It’s clear there are dark forces that still want to take him down as they still want to take down any force for change."
He said the PAC had always maintained that the apartheid security apparatus was never dismantled. He added they were concerned about Surve’s safety and that of his family.
Zungula said there was a group of people intent on removing people with an alternative voice and that this should not be allowed or tolerated.
“It’s clear that there is an organised group that wants to physically remove people with alternative views. I would think those were tendencies of the old government. It’s also clear that the powers that be are using the modus operandi as the apartheid government,” said Zungula.
Soon after acquiring Independent Media, Survé had a narrow escape when an armed man approached his vehicle outside a local restaurant. The man had been in one of two cars following him.
He said he had just got out of the vehicle when the man approached him with a firearm in his hand. Survé managed to escape inside the restaurant.
This matter was also reported to the authorities, he said.
Political Bureau with additional reporting by
Aziz Hartley and Siyavuya Mzantsi
* This is a developing story.