Moerane Commission: Mafa‚ Msiya say they are still being threatened

19 October 2017 - 10:41 By Nathi Olifant
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
UMzimkhulu councillor Jabulile Msiya testifying at the Moerane Commission. She was one of the two councillors who were injured when unknown gunmen opened fire on the vehicle in which they were sitting with slain former ANCYL secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa in July.
UMzimkhulu councillor Jabulile Msiya testifying at the Moerane Commission. She was one of the two councillors who were injured when unknown gunmen opened fire on the vehicle in which they were sitting with slain former ANCYL secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa in July.
Image: THULI DLAMINI

Prior to their shooting in Ibisi‚ uMzimkhulu‚ councillors Sindiso Magaqa‚ Jabulile Msiya and Nontsikelelo Mafa were systematically excluded from municipal programmes‚ received multiple death threats and were threatened with banishment.

This information formed part of sworn evidence delivered by an impassioned Msiya at the Moerane Commission of Inquiry on Wednesday.

But it did not end there. Since they were ambushed and shot in July‚ the Umzimkhulu muncipality council has allegedly refused to offer them any protection - and they also had to contend with Hawks investigators who seldom updated them on the case‚ leaving them to learn details from media reports.

Msiya and Mafa survived the attempted hit in Ibisi and were hospitalised. But Magaqa was not so lucky; the former ANCYL secretary general died last month after spending several weeks in a Durban hospital.

Msiya told the commission - which is investigating political killings in KwaZulu-Natal since 2011 - that their freezing-out stemmed from the questions she‚ Mafa and Magaqa repeatedly raised regarding the upgrade of Umzimkhulu Memorial Hall‚ which is in her ward. She said that‚ at one point‚ the council invited the media to an in-loco inspection of the hall without her knowledge.

But while this was a major contributor to divisions in the Umzimkhulu council widening‚ it was not the start of her woes. Those troubles could be traced back to the run-up to the 2011 local government elections.

“I was tipped off that my name has been put [forward for] deputy mayor. We usually do not know who will become what [position]. But three names have been submitted and I suppose my name was among the three‚” she told the commission.

Msiya learnt this when someone told her that a local taxi owner‚ who had tenders with the municipality‚ revealed this information. The taxi owner was not in favour of Msiya as a candidate.

“A taxi owner approached someone who then told me that my name has been chosen. But the taxi owner said because I was not in [political] leadership and if ever I was appointed deputy he would kidnap me and no one would know my whereabouts‚” she said.

Msiya said she did not take this seriously as she viewed the taxi owner as a bitter person.

She was not elected deputy mayor.

Testifying later on Wednesday‚ Mafa also said that she was asked to leave Umzimkhulu. She lives in the same ward as Magaqa did‚ and is a ward councillor. Mafa‚ who is on crutches‚ told the commission that her injuries were so severe that doctors expected her only to be able to walk unassisted sometime next year.

Her biggest concern remained security as the council has delayed providing protection.

Both Mafa and Msiya said they had little trust in the local police and also believed political changes at national level would ease tensions on the ground.

Msiya said she was shocked and disturbed upon hearing in the media that one of the men suspected of shooting them had been killed on the N2 in Harding by the police during a cash-in-transit heist.

“I did not believe this‚” she said.

The Hawks claimed that Jabulani Gayinkani “Gayo” Mdunge was one of three men (among 10 who were shot and killed during the heist) that were suspects in the Magaqa shooting‚ because forensic evidence linked him to that event.

“I called the Hawks to ask why we are not briefed. Someone came and told us this and it was disturbing that one suspect was shot dead on N2 in Harding. I asked the investigating officer why did I have to be the one to pursuing him for this information. I asked what made him sure it was him. I asked about the progress as I did not believe they were actually doing something‚” said Msiya.

The police subsequently brought a national unit onto the case and Msiya said they were now being briefed timeously.

“We are still concerned that no [further] arrests have been made‚” she said.

Msiya and Mafa said that threats had not stopped and that suspicious cars were following them. Msiya said an unidentified and suspicious vehicle followed her daughter and even came to her workplace.

She told SAPS lawyer Advocate Mandlenkosi Ngcobo that she had opened a case regarding her daughter being followed‚ as well as the other threats she had received.

subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now