Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane. Picture: Gallo Images/The Times/Masi Losi
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane has dismissed claims made by AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo that he was a beneficiary of the late Chief Dalinzolo Mareke of Mthatha West’s alleged extortion activities in the Eastern Cape.
Police killed Mareke in a shootout on Wednesday, 4 September.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa, police attached to the National Intervention Unit (NIU) were returning to their unit premises at the Embassy Building in Mthatha following an operation when they noticed they were being followed by two vehicles, a Nissan Qashqai and a Toyota Fortuner.
“As members arrived at the premises, the two suspicious vehicles stopped behind them, and the three men armed with firearms alighted and immediately opened fire. Police retaliated, fatally wounding the three men,” said Mawisa.
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One of the deceased was Sakhumzi Mareke, 42, and was a person of interest in several incidents of extortion in the Mthatha area.
A week before, Mareke had denied being an extortionist.
During a community meeting held in Mthatha on 20 August, Dalindyebo spoke out strongly against the extortionists and named a few politicians he claimed were working with the criminals.
One of those was allegedly Mabuyane.
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“Actually, Oscar Mabuyane, I can prove it in any court, is a beneficiary to Mareke’s stupid actions. The beneficiary! If he says I’m accusing him, he must prove me wrong. I’m telling him what he knows,” said Dalindyebo.
Several social media users have since circulated the allegations, further naming other politicians as beneficiaries of extortion.
The Eastern Cape premier sat down with Newzroom Afrika‘s Aldrin Sampear on Tuesday morning to discuss the progress in tackling extortion in the province.
Mabuyane acknowledged that although Defence Minister Angie Motshekga noted the province’s request for soldiers and deployed more police, much more still needs to be done.
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The premier also addressed Dalindyebo’s claims, calling on the king to prove them. He said that he had never heard of Mareke until the recent shootout.
“I’ve heard what the king said, it is unfortunate that it was said by somebody like that. That’s why I want police to investigate that,” said Mabuyane.
The premier said he would take action against the king and anyone who has made such claims against him. This, he said, would help police get to the bottom of the problem.
“I’m opening a case, I’ll be signing an affidavit today, against anyone who says such things without facts, because I want us to see the truth. He must be able to come forward and tell because he’s not mentioning these names loosely.
“We are the face of government, we are dealing with crime, he’s saying things loosely, recklessly like that. Whether he has been briefed by some or is being used by some to do what he has done, it’s something else.
“But I want police to investigate that. We said, we want to expose everyone, whether a politician, who might happen to be in the network itself.
ALSO READ: Controversial Mthatha West chief Daluxolo Mareke killed in shootout with police [VIDEO]
“I’m taking this approach because I won’t be going around speaking to the media, talking and insulting the king. I want the police to go down and investigate. The king must be able to explain why he said this.
“Because there may be people going around doing things in our names. He might have information that we don’t have, so he’ll help us in that regard.”
Mabuyane denied the allegations.
“That’s nonsense. I will never be involved in something like that.”
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