I was set up, says Mhlontlo hitman accused

A Mhlontlo municipal official accused of trying to hire a hitman to kill municipal manager Thando Mase says he was set up by his neighbour after being warned his own life was in danger.

Zwelilungile Siqhola, 41, a technician in the municipality, was arrested in a police operation last month after a tipoff. But in his bail application in the Mthatha magistrate’s court on Wednesday, Siqhola delivered stunning testimony.

Siqhola, from Zimbilini in Qumbu, said that at about 11pm on August 25 he had received an SMS from an unknown person saying that he should get out of his house as “hitmen” were on their way.

He said he immediately took his family to the home of his neighbour, Zukile Qekenya.

He said the SMS had not mentioned who hired the hitmen, but he had “suspicions” because he was due to appear in court the next day for a fraud case where Mase — who is his cousin — was a witness and complainant.

Siqhola said that while at Qekenya’s house he had peeped through the window and seen two cars, a Ford Ranger and a white VW Polo. The cars eventually drove away.

His defence advocate, Daluxolo Pika, asked if he was rivals with Mase, and he responded: “Yes, because of the court case. He is seriously involved.”

Days after the warning on August 25, Siqhola said, Qekenya told him he would try to trace the person who sent the message. “Because I trusted him, I left everything to him. But then at work I was receiving threatening SMSes that I will be suspended or fired,” he said.

He said on the day of his arrest, September 15, he had a visit from Qekenya.

“He [Qekenya] came to my home to fetch my phones. He said he had found someone in Mthatha who would trace the SMSes. He was with his brother.” When they got to Mthatha, Siqhola said, Qekenya had called the tracers, but then suddenly changed the subject.

“All I could hear was that he told those people on the phone that it was my supervisor who was threatening me.”

Siqhola said Qekenya had told him the tracers wanted money to trace the SMSes. He said Qekenya had then offered to pay the tracers R2,100.

They then went to the Caltex garage in the suburb of North Crest to give the tracers the money. This was where he and the two Qekenya brothers were arrested by police.

Pika asked him why he was alone in the dock if the Qekenyas had been arrested as well. “I heard they were both released,” he answered.

Prosecutor Nobuntu Mbunya put it to Siqhola that he had confessed to the charge of conspiracy to commit murder and had tried to organise a hitman.

The state’s argument is that Siqhola told Qekenya to organise people to kill Mase because he is a witness in the fraud case against him and should Mase be out the picture, he could take over as municipal manager.

The bail hearing was postponed to October 6.

He [Qekenya] came to my home to fetch my phones. He said he had found someone in Mthatha who would trace the SMSes