Activist claims to be under siege
NGO head says local politician is behind vendetta
A CHATSWORTH activist believes criminals are being used to scare him into silence.
This week, Bob Daniels’ home was broken into for the fourth time this year.
Daniels, head of the Chatsworth and District Partnership Against Aids, believes the attacks on him and his family are a scare tactic by “powerful people” in the community who are opposed to his views.
On Tuesday night, Daniels and four others were held at gunpoint by three men. The community activist, his wife and daughter were preparing for church, but they were delayed when his son arrived with friends to deliver a bed.
His wife and daughter left for the church service, but Daniels stayed behind to help the movers.
“We were in the process of removing the old mattress when I heard one of the boys say: ‘Lay low! Lay low!’
“I wondered what he was talking about and I turned, and then I saw one of the gunmen. When I looked at him, my blood ran cold. I realised this was not just a house breaking — this was more like a hostage situation.”
Daniels and the four others were instructed to kneel over the bed and place their hands on their heads.
“That is when one of them saw my wedding ring and he pulled it off my finger. Then he cocked the pistol and asked me where all the jewellery was.”
But the Daniels’s Westcliff home was broken into in April and about R300 000 worth of jewellery was taken.
The father of three said he pointed out some of the broken pieces that were left behind during the previous robbery and tried to explain why there were so few pieces left. The robbers then demanded to know where Daniels kept his gun and safe.
“I told them I did not own a gun and that we didn’t have a safe. Then they took our wallets, cellphones, the jewellery and all our drivers licences.”
Daniels said he believed the four robberies and his son Nolan’s hijacking last month were linked to a negative local newspaper article on him that was published last year.
Daniels is challenging the allegations against him that were published, including those of misappropriation of funds and maladministration.
“I come out strongly if I truly believe in something, and for me there are a lot of unanswered questions. I believe there is a vendetta against me.”
He said that he believed a local politician was the driving force behind both the “fraudulent” accusations and the home invasions.
“None of the other houses on my street have been touched and there are a lot more well-off people living on this street. I am not worried about my safety, but I am worried about the safety of my family.”
Chatsworth police are investigating.