City official gets ‘scary’ threat after crime busts

People like you should get sorted out, e-mail warns following arrest success

POLICE are investigating alleged death threats sent to an official of the City of Johannesburg’s corruption-busting unit.

On Thursday, a shocked Lucky Sindane, the spokesperson for group forensic and investigations services, received a one line e-mail that read: “People like you should be sorted out.”

Yesterday, Sindane said the threats were not being taken lightly following a string of arrests effected by the unit headed by former Gauteng Hawks boss Shadrack Sibiya.

The threats were reported to the Krugersdorp Police Station on Saturday.

Police spokesperson Sergeant Tshepiso Mashele confirmed that a case of intimidation was opened on Saturday and that because the scene of the crime was Sindane’s office in Braamfontein, the case would be transferred to Johannesburg for further investigations.

According to Sindane, he is the first official to receive death threats since the unit was set up a year ago.

He said the threats could be from some of the people implicated in widespread fraud and corruption totalling R16 billion that the unit has uncovered.

However, this was not the first time Sindane had received death threats.

After exposing corruption in Mpumalanga in 2009 while working for the Mail & Guardian, the former award-winning journalist’s life was threatened and as a result, he quit journalism.

Sindane remains defiant and stated that: “We won’t stop exposing corruption.”

However, he described the threat as “scary”.

City of Johannesburg spokesperson Luyanda Mfeka confirmed that Sindane “received a threat to his person allegedly as a result of the exemplary work done by the city’s group investigation services department”.

According to Mfeka, over 450 people have been arrested so far due to the unit’s work.

Mfeka said mayor Herman Mashaba has instructed the unit to also investigate the matter and provide the police with any assistance necessary to further protect the safety of staff including Sindane.

“The threat against Sindane is a clear indication that the work done by group forensic services is hurting criminals who only wish to enrich themselves at the expense of residents,” he said.

On Friday night, two people were arrested at a church in Rosettenville for building hijacking.

Last week, the unit seized R80 million worth of City Power infrastructure in 12 properties across the province.

Brand new and used transformers were seized in Kempton Park, Midrand, Germiston and Johannesburg South, according to Sindane.

The infrastructure had been used by City Power contractors and was not returned to the entity but sold on the black market.

Two weeks ago, ANC Johannesburg councillor Leepile Motsumi was expelled by the party after it was discovered by the unit that he had allegedly sold two council-owned properties for R210 000.

The unit also arrested over a dozen people for the cable theft that plunged large parts of the city into darkness.