Mnquma boss dies in collision

TROUBLED Mnquma municipal manager Sindile Tantsi died in a car crash on Thursday afternoon on the N2 between Port Shepstone and Kokstad.

KwaZulu-Natal emergency medical services spokesman Tim Larsen said the crash happened near the small town of Harding, 90km from Port Shepstone, at 4.50pm.

It is understood Tantsi was travelling in his Mercedes-Benz when it collided head-on with a bakkie.

Two people, including Tantsi, died on the spot while a third person died in a local hospital.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane said: “A case of culpable homicide is being investigated by Harding SAPS.”

Zwane said he had received a report that “two motor vehicles were involved in a collision on the N2 road near Guy Pyne Sawmill”. It was reported that two people died at the scene while another died in hospital.

“Circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated,” said Zwane.

It was not clear if the two other people who died were Tantsi’s bodyguards. Butterworth Magistrate’s Court to answer to charges of fraud and money laundering.

He was due to appear again on May 8 alongside his co-accused, Butterworth businessman Sive Nombembe of Big Event Boy (Pty) Ltd.

The two men were arrested last month by members of a Hawks task team formed to investigate corruption in Eastern Cape municipalities.

Tantsi and Nombembe appeared on charges of fraud and corruption relating to a R10million black plastic bag tender Mnquma issued two years ago to Nombembe’s company.

Mnquma municipality spokesman Loyiso Mpalantshane said staff had been briefed about the death of the municipal manager.

“The staff and senior managers gathered at the city hall where they were briefed about the sad moment and the untimely death of our municipal manager,” said Mpalantshane.

Skelenge said a delegation from the municipality and government, led by the mayoral committee would visit Tantsi’s family. “We will visit the family to formalise our condolences to the family on behalf of the municipality, staff and Eastern Cape government,” he said. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za