EC businessman fears for his life
Petrol station owner claims he is under siege
THE owner of an Eastern Cape petrol station who is suing Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa for more than R100-million wears a disguise every day because he fears for his life.
The owner of Khepe Motors petrol station in Flagstaff, Johann Roodt, 55, who is based in Durban, said he is forced to be “heavily camouflaged” and wears a wig, hat, sunglasses and bullet-proof vest because he is certain he could be murdered by a hit squad.
He also wants to subpoena President Jacob Zuma for failing to take action after he complained of acts of intimidation, robbery and arson against him since 2008 – in which he claims the police are involved.
Roodt said Flagstaff businessman and pastor Stanley Godlwana, who leased him the petrol station on a 100-year lease basis in about 2002/3, is now trying to force him out. Court papers have been filed with the Pretoria division of the High Court charging that police not only failed to investigate numerous charges, but that they also colluded against Roodt.
Speaking to Weekend Post this week, Roodt said he had not visited his petrol station for the past three years because he is convinced he will be shot dead.
A coffin and a bullet allegedly mysteriously appeared at the petrol station last year.
“The coffin was left in a back room last December where there is a bed if staff have to sleep over,” said Roodt. “They broke the door down and left the coffin there. The police took six or seven weeks to take prints and no docket was opened.
“A bullet was also left for me on one occasion – it was a police or army issue bullet.”
He said his staff had also been intimidated and he had received arson threats.
Roodt said he had sent 17 letters of complaint to national Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega, Mthethwa and other police generals but although he had received letters acknowledging receipt on one or two occasions, his letters failed to trigger any investigations. He also claims he has e-mailed President Zuma 12 times with no luck.
“I have also opened more than 20 dockets over the last eight to nine years but not one has been investigated.”
He said the petrol station manager, James Talbot, had spoken to Zuma personally when calling the presidential hotline.
Talbot wrote in an affidavit that he spoke to Zuma “in sheer desperation” to complain about police inefficiency following Roodt’s financial losses due to intimidation, death threats, theft, arson and fraud, and that the president referred him to the national police minister. He noted that although he had received a call from the presidency, nothing had been resolved.
Roodt said his fuel sales had dropped from 800 000 litres a month to 200 000 litres per month. He said he had lost R67-million due to intimidation.
“There’s not a chance I can go down to Flagstaff because they will shoot me. I know people on the ground who have warned me of this. I am in fear of my life.”
Stanley Godlwana could not be reached for comment, but his son – police spokesman Captain Mduduzi Godlwana, who is based in Lusikisiki – denied police had colluded with Stanley to force Roodt to move from the petrol station.
Captain Godlwana admitted that his father wanted the petrol station back. He said Godlwana had been arrested two years ago “for trying to evict” Roodt, but he had not been charged.