The Citizen (KZN)

Khoza fears for her life

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African National Congress MP Makhosi Khoza, pictured, is trying to negotiate with the party to have the time of her disciplina­ry hearing tomorrow moved for fear she will be “gunned down” on her way to the proceeding­s.

Khoza said yesterday the ANC was being “extremely unreasonab­le” in expecting her to attend her disciplina­ry at 3pm tomorrow.

According to the charge sheet sent to Khoza in July, the hearing was set to start at 9am at the party’s headquarte­rs in Durban.

Provincial spokespers­on Mdumiseni Ntuli said he was “not sure about the actual time, but disciplina­ry committee meetings usually start at 9am”.

“Who goes to a hearing on Sunday? Who goes to a hearing at 3pm on a Sunday?” Khoza asked.

“I am fighting with them over time. I wrote to [ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe] and he said he couldn’t help me. I have written to KZN [leadership] and they said 3pm, they don’t want to change it,” she said.

“I am worried about safety issues in KZN; Magaqa is not even buried yet,” she said, referring to former ANC youth league secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa, who died on Monday, ostensibly from wounds sustained when he was shot multiple times in Umzimkhulu in July in what the party called an assassinat­ion attempt. He was a PR councillor at the time.

According to Khoza, there was “a pattern of people getting gunned down” in the province when returning from meetings.

She said that if the hearing took place at 3pm, the party was increasing the chance of her being “gunned down”.

“When I leave there it will be dark. That will put my life in even more danger,” she said.

Khoza said she did have private security but would not say how many bodyguards would accompany her.

“But what is my private security to those guys?” she asked. She said she would attend the hearing, but was hoping for a more reasonable time.

ANC KwaZulu-Natal spokespers­on Mdumiseni Ntuli said Khoza would have to plead her case before provincial disciplina­ry committee head Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu and members Arthur Zwane, Phumlile Zulu, Mxolisi Kaunda and Important Mkhize. Evidence leaders would include Makhosini Nkosi and Ravi Pillay.

Khoza’s charges include ill discipline, failing to comply with ANC policy, provoking division and bringing the party into disrepute. – ANA

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