Posh block has its own lockdown

Residents claim that fellow tenant chained them in — and out

● Self-made Johannesburg businessman Zakhele Mkhize refused to accept that his helper could not come in daily to clean his flat during the lockdown.

She was essential, he argued to his body corporate, because she also helped him with his filing.

The ensuing stand-off with the trustees at Gleneagles, a plush apartment building in Killarney, led to gates being chained — and now a criminal investigation.

Mkhize and the trustees told the Sunday Times this week that the issue had been resolved, but police said they were investigating a case of intimidation against the businessman.

It is alleged that Mkhize and a man “the size of a door”, padlocked doors to the building, locking residents in or out. But Mkhize denies it was him.

The alleged lockout on April 20 was the culmination of a protracted quarrel between Mkhize and the trustees of the apartment block over lockdown rules.

A source on the board said that before the lockdown, the building had set rules in line with regulations “and he [Mkhize] has fought us since then.

He was of the view that he could have visitors whenever he liked.”

Mkhize, from KwaZulu-Natal, owns Entsika Consulting. He worked as a gardener, saving money to pay for university. It helped set up his businesses success.

In an e-mail sent by Mkhize to the trustees on March 24, and seen by the Sunday Times, he wrote: “We need our places cleaned, to say my helper cannot clean my place is not in line with the [directive] of the president … I’m responsible [for] my visitors and I don’t need the assistance of the trustees.”

The source said the building’s rules allowed live-in help, but not domestic workers who lived elsewhere.

“He … issued her with a remote to gain entrance to the basement. Only owners and tenants can have remotes, so that itself is a violation of the rules,” said the source.

“There were repeated confrontations over this, and he knew our position … his company had also issued her with a permit as an essential worker and told us she was helping him with filing,” he said.

When Mkhize’s remote was deactivated by trustees, he and his bodyguard allegedly arrived with chains and locks.

“He still had full access. He needed only to ask the security to let him inside. But this would ensure that no-one else was let in,” the source said.

The locks were later broken, but Mkhize returned the next day and allegedly parked cars in front of the gates.

That impasse lasted several hours before the cars were moved. In the evening, the gates were locked.

“We were forced to call the police because we were being held to ransom,” the source said.

A complaint of intimidation has been made to the police in Hillbrow.

Gauteng police spokesperson

Capt

Mavela Masondo said it was being investigated.

Mkhize said the woman was his personal assistant.

“She comes once a week to help me with filing and administration work. She had a permit and despite this they barred her and later they took away my access to the building,” he told the Sunday Times.

Another e-mail, which Mkhize confirmed he sent, said: “I can promise you I won’t be inconvenienced alone, until I’m given full access to my property there will be no peace or rest.”

He denied that he or his staff had engineered the lockouts and said the matter had been resolved after he involved his lawyer.

“We sent them a letter to say we will abide by the lockdown regulations and all is well now. We told them that you cannot just take away access of one person,” he said.

He said he had no knowledge of a criminal case against him.

Gleneagles trustees chair Natasha Coetzee said Mkhize had locked the gate, but that the matter had been resolved.

“Everything is back to normal and there is peace again,” she said.