Mayor to languish in custody until at least May 30
IFP expresses shock over arrests
Endumeni Municipality’s budget is scheduled to be passed tomorrow but Mayor Richard Mbatha will not be there. He will be incarcerated in a cell in Estcourt pending a bail application on May 30 to be heard in the Estcourt Magistrate’s Court.
The other two accused are a fellow IFP Councillor in Estcourt, Mthembeni Majola and the alleged hitman Xolani ‘Shorty’ Makhathini.
Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo, Hawks spokesman, told the Courier that the trio were arrested in a pre-dawn raid today by the Political Task Team with the assistance of the National Intervention Unit (NIU) after the team intercepted information of a plot to allegedly assassinate the Municipal Speaker.
The three suspects allegedly planned an assassination plot against the Speaker who is alleged to be an obstacle in the awarding of a tender. It is understood the Speaker allegedly suspected undue influence and possible corruption in the process.
Meanwhile, the IFP has expressed shock at the news of the arrest of its Mayor of Endumeni Municipality on allegations of attempting to assassinate the Speaker of the same Municipality. In a statement just issued by the party, IFP Deputy National Spokesperson Joshua Mazibuko stated;
“It is with shock and deep disappointment that the IFP has received the news that Mayor Mbatha of an IFP-led Endumeni Municipality was arrested on allegations of attempting to assassinate the Speaker of the same Municipality, who is also an IFP leader herself.
“As a matter of principle, we to categorically state that as the IFP, we abhor any act of using violence to resolve whatever issues the people may have.
“The IFP is fully aware that we are talking about allegations for now. As such, we cannot pass any judgment on anyone implicated. However, what worries the IFP more is the fact that these allegations implicate a leader who is supposed to be exemplary. As a party we view this in a very serious light. Consequently, as the IFP, we have begun our internal processes towards understanding what happened with a view to taking appropriate steps.
“We however wish to applaud the police for acting swiftly to prevent what may have been yet another politically-motivated murder. We also urge all law-enforcement agencies to quickly bring this matter to its conclusion for the sake of all involved and also for the sake of our country.”
