Mahlobo ejected ‘hysterical’ Zuma wife, says lawyer
Witness pours cold water on minister’s claim he played no direct role in MaNtuli ’poison’ saga
A WITNESS has confirmed that State Security Minister David Mahlobo instructed Nompumelelo Ntuli-Zuma to leave Nkandla after he accused her of trying to kill President Jacob Zuma by allegedly adding poison to food she had cooked for him.
The witness, who didn’t want to be identified, said Zuma was at home when Mahlobo told Ntuli-Zuma, known as MaNtuli, to pack her belongings and leave Nkandla with her three children on January 4 last year.
Ulrich Roux, MaNtuli’s lawyer, said Mahlobo told his client she could not be at the homestead because of “a sensitive matter” his intelligence department was investigating.
“She was instructed to leave the homestead, together with her and Zuma’s three children. Her husband did not [personally] instruct her to leave the homestead. The minister of state security instructed NtuliZuma to leave the homestead,” said Roux.
On Thursday Mahlobo denied that he had personally ordered MaNtuli to leave Nkandla. He did confirm, however, that he had reported her to the Hawks.
“There was no role I played in this matter. As a man, I cannot go to another man’s house and chase away his wife.
“The matter was reported to the Hawks for investigation. No further role was played by the department. We did what we had to do at the time and played no further role,” he said.
Mahlobo also denied that he had made any contact with MaNtuli’s lawyers about the matter.
However, Roux contradicts this in a letter he wrote to National Prosecuting Authority head Shaun Abrahams dated September 16, in which he inquired about the investigation and said he had exchanged correspondence on the matter with Mahlobo between April and June this year.
“The said correspondence rehysterically lated to the fact that our client had been requested by Mr Mahlobo to vacate the Nkandla compound on January 4 2015,” said Roux.
The witness, who was also in Nkandla when MaNtuli was kicked out, said Zuma’s wife was told she was trying to kill her husband.
It is understood MaNtuli cried and couldn’t be consoled after being kicked out.
“The president was present when Mahlobo told her to leave the homestead. But, generally speaking, even if she was trying to poison him, who has evidence of that?
“And, since Zuma eats in all the houses in his homestead, how would you know where he got the poison from? This has to be looked at thoroughly,” said the witness.
The witness also revealed that MaNtuli, who is now a bornagain Christian and training to become a pastor, had prayed for Zuma during his turbulent political times.
“And now all of a sudden she wanted to kill him. No, no, it can’t be,” insisted the witness.
Abrahams confirmed last week that MaNtuli was officially one of the suspects in an alleged plot to kill her husband, but did not say what charges might be brought against her.
Asked about the progress of the investigation, Mahlobo said: “The Hawks are best-placed to deal with the matter and not state security.”
Hawks spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said: “The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation will not subject itself to public commentary that will seriously interfere with individual constitutional rights.”
Mahlobo has been mired in controversy for the past two weeks after allegations that he had links with a known rhino horn trafficker, Guan Jiang Guang, and after the minister denied knowing student leader Mcebo Dlamini just days after Mahlobo said he knew Dlamini.
The Hawks are investigating links between Mahlobo and Guang after allegations of their relationship were made in an Al Jazeera TV documentary that aired last Sunday. Mahlobo said he was visiting a spa owned by Guang and was unaware of Guang’s illicit activities.
While speaking at a panel discussion hosted by the Institute of Security Studies last Monday, Mahlobo claimed to know Dlamini “very well” and that the student leader had visited the minister’s house several times.
Asked to clarify his relationship with Dlamini in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Mahlobo denied knowing him.
“That meeting never took place,” said Mahlobo.
There was no role I played in this matter. As a man, I cannot go to another man’s house and chase away his wife