Fikile Mbalula a ‘person of interest’ in Wandile Bozwana murder

Allegations implicating former North West premier and ANC provincial chairperson Supra Mahumapelo in the murder of billionaire Wandile Bozwana has now extended to identify transport minister Fikile Mbalula as a person of interest in the case.

Sunday World reports that the Gauteng Provincial Investigations Unit have identified Mbalula as one of the people to be questioned regarding the murder, alongside Limpopo businessman Peter Mohale.

Mohale was a former business associate of Bozwana’s, and reportedly benefitted from Bozwana helping his company secure a multi-million rand Northern Cape bulk water supply tender.

At the time of Bozwana’s death, Sunday World reports that the two had a falling out and were not on speaking terms.

Bozwana died in hospital after he and his partner Mpho Baloyi were shot on the N1 highway in Pretoria in October 2015.

Sipho Hudla, Matamela Mutapa, Vusi Mathibela and Bonginkosi Khumalo are currently standing trial in connection with the hit.

The reason for police’s interest in Mbalula, who was alleged to have been in Pretoria when Bozwana was gunned down, relates to phone calls made to one of the murder suspects, Vusi Mathibela, police revealed to the publication. Mbalula reportedly contacted Mathibela on the day of Bozwana’s murder.

Exclusive information revealed to Sunday World shows that Mbalula had met up with Bozwana two days before his murder, which was confirmed by Bozwana’s colleague Baloyi.

One of the police officers working on the case, Major-General Vincent Leshabane, revealed in an affidavit that Mbalula had contacted him later in 2015, and promised to hand over Mathibela after a warrant for his arrest was issued. This was never fulfilled, and Mathibela was arrested after handing himself in at the Brooklyn police station, following damning CCTV footage that positively identified him.

Police now believe that Mbalula could be potentially helpful in solving the case.

Mbalula did confirm that he had been interviewed by law enforcement, and that he was aware of allegations against him.

However, he, like Mahumapelo, have dismissed allegations as nothing more than an attempt at a smear campaign. Mbalula also denied promising Leshabane to hand over Mathibela, and affirmed his statement that he was not involved in the murder.

Mahumapelo said in September that continued claims linking him to the 2015 murder are an attempt to silence him in the governing party.

This after Sunday World reported earlier that he and former Rustenburg mayor Matthew Wolmarans, who is also an MP, offered R10m to assassins to kill Bozwana.

Additional reporting by News24 Wire

(Compiled by Nica Schreuder)

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