Pretoria - Dr Moeketsi Mosola survived a two-hour hostage drama on Friday orchestrated by a group claiming to be from a business forum, he said on Monday.
The Tshwane city manager said the ordeal took place at a municipal office. Members of the forum refused to allow him to exit the building.
The forum is made up of businesspeople who have insisted on having a share in every contract advertised by the municipality.
“I was held hostage by a business forum. I could not get out of the office for two hours. I am not the first to be held hostage by the business forum there are other officials. It is a serious matter,” Mosola said.
He said the masterminds behind the forum were “thugs, and we must treat them as such”.
Mosola said he had called the metro police and MMC for community safety Karen Meyer to rescue him from the hostile group.
Mosola spoke at a municipal public accounts committee meeting yesterday, where he was called to account on the City’s performance.
He was speaking in response to a query by ANC councillor Oscar Mathafa, who had expressed concerns over the apparent legitimising of the forum by the City.
Mosola said dealing with the business forum' modus operandi was very difficult.
According to him, many projects were stalled and could not be finished on time because of disruptions caused by the forum.
He said the City had managed to go to court and had obtained an interdict against the individuals.
“I have personally handed over the names of those implicated to the national commissioner of police,” Mosola said.
During the meeting, Mosola also apologised for skipping a recent committee meeting, saying his absence was due to a miscommunication.
“I want to do apologise unreservedly. I apologise for that and it will not happen again,” he said.