Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Khoza death threat is from girl, 17 – minister
Also accuses her of misleading police and not co-operating with their investigation
DEATH threats made to ANC Member of Parliament Makhosi Khoza have been traced to a 17-year-old high school pupil from Gugulethu in Cape Town, Police Minister Fikile Mbalula revealed in Durban yesterday.
Mbalula also accused Khoza of misleading police and not co-operating with their investigation. Numerous attempts to contact Khoza for comment were unsuccessful but she did issue a post on Facebook yesterday saying she was aware of Mbalula’s claim.
“Minister of Police Fikile Mbalula has pronounced to the media that a 17-year-old girl from Gugulethu is behind the death threats that I have been receiving for the past few months,” the post read.
It went on to say: “I am currently not in a position to comment on this as I have not yet received any form of communication from the minister about the progress made on the two criminal cases opened in both Polokwane and Durban.
“It must be said, however, that the Daily Maverick published that the number which had sent me death threats was registered to Black Land First (BLF). I find it odd that the minister has made no mention of this. Despite the motives, whoever is behind the death threats, that I continue to receive, must be brought to book,” she posted.
Mbalula was at the notori- ous Glebelands Hostel in Umlazi, south of Durban, where he met with residents of Block R, known as Russia at the hostel, where close to 100 people have been murdered from 2014 to date.
Mbalula said a satellite police station and the presence of more police officers would be in operation within a week at the hostel, in an attempt to quell the killings and other criminal elements that were present there.
On threats on Khoza’s life, the minister said cellphone numbers used were linked to a schoolgirl in Cape Town.
“Twelve cellular phone numbers utilised to threaten people were successfully traced to (the teenage girl) and her mother in Cape Town,” he said.
“Since August 7, 2016 to date she has threatened and harassed about seven people serving or working at the National Assembly,” he said, adding: “She is also responsible for an intimidation case opened in Gauteng by Minister of Communications Ms Ayanda Dlodlo.”
According to Mbalula Dlodlo, Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini, Communications Deputy Minister Thandi Mahambehlala, MPs Phelekwa Mfuyo, Xoliswa Salman, Bukelwa Ntantiso and Nobuntu Khuse were also threatened in a similar modus operandi. The minister said the teenager’s father had informed police that this was not the first time the family had been involved in similar threats.
He said an investigation also revealed that in 2016 the minor had been admitted to a place of safety in Cape Town after writing to the Ministry of Social Development alleging that her mother had sold her to foreign nationals for sex and was also involved in drugs.
“Of great public interest is the question raised, in particular, by Dr Khoza, who intimated that the threats on her life were as a result of ANC infighting,” Mbalula said.
“These threats came from a troubled minor and she was not the only person threatened in this way. Dr Khoza also periodically informed the public about these threats on her life and during our threat assess- ment on her life we could not identify the actionable threat,” said Mbalula.
He said the 17-year-old girl had links with the Democratic Alliance (DA) and this was evidenced by information posted on social networks. However, the police did not have any official proof that she was a DA member.
“The motive is unknown at this stage, there are no leads yet as to whether there is any manipulation or misuse of this minor by any person or entity and the investigation is continuing,” said Mbalula.
He accused Khoza of refusing to co- operate with the investigation by refusing to hand over her cellphone to investigators stating that they and the police minister was “working with the enemy”.
Mbalula said Khoza indicated that she would hand over her phone when there was a regime change and also refused protection from the police in light of the threats made against her.
On Glebelands, Mbalula said: “Our people are under siege from criminal thugs and other nyaope gangs in the Glebelands precinct.
“The hardships there come from a brutal past of cramming blacks together for cheap labour,” he said.
Mbalula said the hostels had removed people’s dignity and that their conditions and state of dilapidation made them a “nest for criminality”.