Bay acting city boss receives death threat
Get out of that office or you will die.
That is the threatening note that Nelson Mandela Bay acting city manager Noxolo Nqwazi received yesterday morning next to her car.
The note, unsigned and written in isiXhosa, reads: “Vacate there. Or state if you want your children to be left with just their father. We will not be led by you. You are holding us back. You will die.”
On the same day, Nqwazi received another letter, this one purportedly signed by acting mayor Thsonono Buyeye, who said he was appointing director of housing delivery Mvuleni Mapu as acting city manager to allow her time to “recover” after an accident she was involved in last week.
While the letter was signed CS Thsonono, his spokesperson Siyanda Mxotwa confirmed the letter and Mapu’s appointment, adding it was with immediate effect.
Numerous attempts to contact Buyeye directly were unsuccessful.
Nqwazi hurt her neck and was off for two days last week, but was back at work yesterday morning.
She did not submit a sick certificate requesting to be off this week.
Nqwazi has been the metro’s acting city manager since the December 5 council meeting.
Her acting tenure ended last month, but because the council has yet to meet and Buyeye was not given executive powers by the council to appoint a replacement, she has continued at the helm of the city’s administration.
The Herald understands that there has been a strong push from the so-called “black caucus ”— comprising the United Front, AIC, Patriotic Alliance, EFF and UDM — for Nqwazi to be removed as acting city boss.
Speaking to The Herald yesterday, Nqwazi, who did not
want to to discuss the matter at length, confirmed she had found the note in the parking lot of her St George’s Park office.
“I found the note next to my car at about 11am today [Monday],” she said.
She opened a case at the Humewood police station for the matter to be investigated.
Mxotwa said no processes had been flouted in the appointment of Mapu.
He said the appointment was one of the urgent matters council was meant to discuss during Friday’s council meeting which had failed to sit.
“The process of appointing a new acting city manager started when Nqwazi’s contract lapsed in March.
“The executive mayor extended it until June 5 to carry on the business of the institution.
“We wanted the city to continue functioning.”
Mxotwa said an internal investigation was being conducted into the alleged threat and encouraged Nqwazi to open a case.
“With the legal powers the mayor had, he had to act in her position.
“The mayor took a decision. We’re dealing with two disasters, Covid-19 and drought.
“The office [is looking] into the allegations; there’s an internal investigation looking into the matter.
“The institution doesn’t take it lightly.”
Similar incidents have occurred in the metro in recent months, with a team of auditors from the auditor-general having left the city after being threatened.
In December, a damning report to parliament’s standing committee on the auditorgeneral detailed the intimidation the audit team had been subjected to while in Port Elizabeth.
Meanwhile, in the letter written by Buyeye to Nqwazi yesterday, it states: “Pursuant to your unfortunate motor vehicle accident, I accept that you need time to recover, especially since a neck injury can be rather serious.
“As such, I have appointed Mr Mvuleni Mapu as acting city manager as from today June 8 until the next council meeting”.
Nqwazi said she had been booked off for two days by her doctor last week, but returned to work yesterday.
“I am at the office today and that’s all I’m going to say for now,” Nqwazi said.
DA provincial leader Nqaba Bhanga condemned the threat against her and said it amounted to blatant intimidation.
“Nqwazi has allegedly been repeatedly threatened, reportedly due to her refusal to process dodgy tenders.
“Buyeye, unilaterally, without bringing the item to council, made the decision on her behalf, informing Nqwazi in writing that she has been replaced by ... Mapu,” Bhanga said.
Bhanga alleged that Buyeye had previously called for Nqwazi’s resignation after she was booked off sick due to her accident.
“Buyeye’s actions has all the hallmarks of the removal of Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela as city manager in 2013.
“Her removal followed after she had raised concerns about political interference in her job, as well as intimidation.
“Clearly the coalition of corruption running the city are hell-bent on taking every cent they can get their hands on, and will use intimidation and violence to remove anyone who stands in their way,” Bhanga alleged.
UDM councillor Mongameli Bobani also condemned the threat, labelling it “barbaric”.
“We’re a true democratic country and city where different views are debatable and discussed.
“We are encouraging Ms Nqwazi to urgently report this to the law enforcement agencies.
“The city’s security cluster must ensure that she and her family are protected until the culprits are found,” Bobani said.
ACDP councillor Lance Grootboom said the threats against Nqwazi were concerning, uncalled for and wrong.
Grootboom said he had received information that Nqwazi had earlier refused to leave office.
“It tells me whoever issued the letter removing her is playing the medical doctor.
“Nqwazi is bringing stability and others can’t continue with their illegal activities.
“All supply chain processes were put on hold so the powers of appointing suppliers are resting with the city manager.
“Because she refuses to do illegal things, the current political administration is totally unhappy.
“That’s why she was threatened — because people can’t get their hands on the city’s kitty. That’s why we need to appoint a mayor to put the interest of the people [first].
“There’s no political will to change anything,” Grootboom said.
ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi also condemned the threats.
“Whoever made that threat was a man because chauvinists can’t stand a strong woman.
“We must be able to be frank, open and engage on matters without fear,” he said.
On the issue of Nqwazi’s removal as acting city manager, Ngcukayitobi called on Buyeye to immediately revoke his decision as the power to appoint and fire a municipal manager rested with council.
“It can’t be that one person hires and fires a city manager.
“Nqwazi remains in her position until the council decides otherwise,” Ngcukayitobi said.