logo
DD goes down to the grave with darkest political secrets: families of slain officials speak out

DD goes down to the grave with darkest political secrets: families of slain officials speak out

The Stara day ago
Sifiso Mahlangu | Published 3 hours ago
The passing of former deputy president David Dabede Mabuza has prompted a wave of tributes across South Africa — but in Mpumalanga, where he once ruled as premier, it has also reopened painful memories for families who believe the province's darkest political secrets were buried long before him.
Mabuza died last week following a prolonged illness.
His death has been met with solemn reflection from across the political spectrum, with the ANC organising memorials in multiple provinces. In his hometown of Barberton, mourners have gathered in large numbers to pay their respects.
ANC first deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane has led tributes, calling Mabuza a 'dedicated leader who served his people with dignity.' Yet beyond the official statements and songs of remembrance, there is a different tone emerging from communities still living with the scars of unresolved violence.
One such voice is that of Tshediso Mohlala, daughter of the late Jimmy Mohlala, the former Mbombela Municipality speaker who was gunned down in 2009 outside his home in KaNyamazane.
Mohlala had been outspoken about irregularities tied to the Mbombela Stadium tender ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and was expected to testify about corruption and mismanagement within the municipality.
Days before that testimony, he was killed. In a public Facebook post, Tshediso wrote: 'The system may have failed you, Dad. But we believe the truth will never die. We will not stop calling for justice, even when others choose silence.
Your name will never be forgotten.'Her words have since been widely shared, reigniting discussions around political violence in Mpumalanga — a province long associated with intimidation, hit-lists, and suspicious killings of whistleblowers. Jimmy Mohlala's murder remains unsolved.
He had insisted on accountability for those behind the stadium tender process and pushed for criminal charges against contractors and officials.
His death, coming just days before he was due in court, was seen by many as a warning to others who considered speaking out. In an exclusive interview with The Star, Lassy Chiwayo, former Mbombela mayor and one-time political ally turned critic of Mabuza, also reflected on this history in recent interviews.
He says Mabuza's tenure was marked by a culture of silence, fear, corruption and a reign of terror. 'There are still too many unanswered questions,' Chiwayo said.
'We were living in a climate where challenging powerful interests could cost you your life. For some of us, it nearly did. Chiwayo, who had been outspoken about alleged corruption in the province, endured intense pressure and threats under Mabuza's leadership.
''At the height of the political tensions, he survived attempts on his life and lived with the daily reality of being on a reported hit-list.
Sources within the provincial government at the time claimed his death might have been linked to his refusal to approve a R20 million tender allegedly connected to a politically influential figure.
Neither Mohlala's nor Mphatlanyane's murders have resulted in prosecutions. Former businessperson Thabo Theledi, also named on a hit list, said he was shocked to find himself a target. 'I left politics years ago,' he said in a 2010 interview. 'I run a petrol station and have no idea why anyone would want me dead.'
A police source later confirmed that an attempted hit on Theledi was narrowly avoided after the would-be assassin backed out.
Despite public outrage and years of speculation, progress in these cases has been minimal.
Sibongile Nkosi, a provincial police spokesperson, said that while the hit-lists were investigated, authorities were unable to confirm their origins or authenticity.
'A number of people were questioned,' she said, 'but no solid evidence has ever emerged that could lead to successful prosecutions.
'He thrived in chaos. That is why Matthews(Phosa) removed him from the Cabinet in 1996. Wherever he was, there was chaos. There has always been a dark cloud around this man.
''From inflating the matric results when he was an education MEC. When it came to the ANC, he specialised in bogus branches. There was a migration of people from Mozambique and Swaziland to pose as members of the ANC.
''The harm he caused will haunt the ANC, the province and the country long after Mabuza is gone. It will take us decades to correct the years of Mabuza and his tender-thugs. It will take us decades to heal the ANC in Mpumalanga'
Chiwayo is among several individuals whose names appeared on alleged hit-lists circulating in the province during the late 2000s and early 2010s.
One such list named over 20 individuals marked for assassination or poisoning. Among the names were civil servants, politicians, and businesspeople, many of whom had challenged tender irregularities or refused to cooperate with corrupt demands.
Another person named on these lists was Sammy Mphatlanyane, a senior government communications officer, who was shot outside his Nelspruit home in early 2009.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Inmates scam the public from prison: Phones seized in surprise raid
Inmates scam the public from prison: Phones seized in surprise raid

The South African

time2 hours ago

  • The South African

Inmates scam the public from prison: Phones seized in surprise raid

Acting on intelligence about a scam operation run by inmates, National Commissioner of Correctional Services Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale personally led a weekend raid at Baviaanspoort Correctional Centre. Also, the surprise raid uncovered several mobile phones and other contraband, with officials discovering 'sophisticated hideout spots' used to conceal the devices inside prison cells. 'What is most alarming is that these illicit activities were carried out in broad daylight, raising serious concerns about lapses in vigilance and continuous monitoring by officials,' the department stated. Following the raid, authorities transferred all implicated inmates to the maximum-security unit (C-Max) at Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre. A forensic analysis of the seized devices is also underway to assess the scam's full extent and aid further legal action. Furthermore, Thobakgale has demanded an urgent report from Baviaanspoort's management explaining how the scam could occur undetected. 'This glaring security breach has prompted the National Commissioner to demand a full report from the centre's management,' the department confirmed. The Department of Correctional Services has reaffirmed its zero-tolerance stance on contraband and internal criminal activity. Additionally, ongoing raids aim to dismantle illicit operations within prisons and stop illegal items from entering facilities. 'While removing illegal items is a key focus, equal attention is being given to preventing their entry in the first place. Any official found to be complicit in smuggling will face the full might of the law, with no leniency afforded,' the department warned. Thobakgale has instructed the Baviaanspoort Correctional Centre to develop and submit a detailed plan to address the operational failings that enabled the incident. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.

Tshwane city manager faces ANC push for removal, three years on
Tshwane city manager faces ANC push for removal, three years on

Daily Maverick

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Maverick

Tshwane city manager faces ANC push for removal, three years on

The ANC wants to remove highly regarded Tshwane city manager Johann Mettler, three years after his appointment. Gauteng MEC for Local Government Jacob Mamabolo has weighed in with a letter about Mettler's appointment, showing that threats by the city's governing coalition to get rid of Mettler are becoming more serious. The three issues now raised by the provincial leader – who has oversight powers over the metro – were not flagged at the time of the appointment. Mettler is regarded as one of South Africa's most qualified and technocratic city managers: he has an LLM from Lund University in Sweden, an LLB and BProc from the University of the Western Cape, and has worked in local government since 1995. He has served as an administrator brought in to stabilise dysfunctional municipalities and was city manager of the Drakenstein and Nelson Mandela Bay councils. 'Whatever legal pretext the ANC coalition devises, the point is that the party would prefer one of their own deployed cadres – not an independent professional – in the job of municipal manager,' said Cilliers Brink, the DA Tshwane caucus leader and former mayor. He said Mettler had come under attack in council several times. 'The most notable of these attacks happened when it became clear that the city would not drop the case against the Rooiwaal Five, city officials implicated in the irregular tender award to a consortium of ANC funder Edwin Sodi.' Sodi won the tender for repairs to the Rooiwaal Waste-Water Treatment Plant, which were botched and caused severe downstream water contamination, most notably affecting the Hammanskraal community. Brink has written to Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya of ActionSA about the growing attacks on the city manager. 'ActionSA's position is clear and consistent: we will not support the removal of any senior manager unless there is a clear, lawful and governance-based reason for doing so. [We] will not compromise the integrity of governance in Tshwane for the sake of political expediency. We remain committed to a principled, lawful and stable administration that serves the best interests of residents,' the party said. Mamabolo has now raised concerns – three years after the fact – about the interview panel for Mettler's appointment and his qualifications under the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA). Brink, who was mayor at the time of Mettler's appointment, said the panel that made the appointment complied with regulations for senior managers. Mettler had also completed the MFMA qualifications he needed. '…The legal implications of asking council to reverse an appointment at this stage remain uncertain and require careful consideration,' ActionSA said. The ANC holds 75 of 214 seats in the Tshwane council and governs with support from the EFF (23) and ActionSA (19), along with smaller parties. The DA has 69 seats. The attempt to axe Mettler could destabilise governance in South Africa's capital.

ANC's Mbalula says there was no intent from Nkabane to mislead Parliament
ANC's Mbalula says there was no intent from Nkabane to mislead Parliament

Eyewitness News

time2 hours ago

  • Eyewitness News

ANC's Mbalula says there was no intent from Nkabane to mislead Parliament

JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress (ANC) says its deployed Minister of Higher Education Nobuhle Nkabane did not "lie" to Parliament but made a "mistake" with the appointments of the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) recently came under pressure after announcing SETA chairpersons, which included a number of ANC-linked minister later told Parliament that the names of the chairpersons were recommended to her by an independent advisory panel, which was dominated by people working in her department. ALSO READ:• DA says its criminal complaint against Minister Nkabane being investigated by Hawks • Nkabane more than capable of leading Higher Education Dept: ANC in National Assembly • Some parties in National Assembly reject Nkabane's budget • Nkabane: Parties rejecting budget of Higher Education Dept punishing SA students • Majority of political parties in NCOP reject higher education dept's budget, call for Nkabane's axing • ANC believes DA's criminal complaint against Nkabane part of its grievance over Whitfield's axing The ANC has been under pressure from some of its Government of National Unity (GNU) partners to take action against Nkabane for lying to minister submitted a list to Parliament, which said her "independent" advisory panel was chaired by Advocate Terry she was forced to rescind Motau's name after he wrote to Parliament saying that he played no part in the appointment of the politically connected SETA a media briefing on Monday, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said the minister had corrected her mistake by restarting the entire process."There was no intent to mislead Parliament and certainly no malice. Upon becoming aware of the error, the minister promptly apologised to Parliament and issued a formal written apology to Motau, personally and publicly, acknowledging the mistake and correcting the record." Mbalula has accused the Democratic Alliance (DA) of "performative politics" by laying a perjury case against Nkabane with the police.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store