Town clerk fears for his life

2005-07-12 09:57

Duma Pewa

Vryheid - Vryheid municipal manager Bamba Ndwandwe fears for his life following threats that he will be "killed and will be made to disappear" for creating problems in the Abaqulusi municipality.

Ndwandwe hired a bodyguard at the beginning of June when the threats intensified.

He said he started receiving threats in April after the council was plunged into chaos following the removal of IFP councillor Elsie Moolman as mayor.

"I met a group of people I did not know who accused me of elevating myself above the mayor by giving myself powers to investigate her.

"I perceived it as an outburst by angry people and I decided to ignore them," said Ndwandwe.

He then started receiving threatening phone calls that accused him of creating problems for council and doing what he is not supposed to do.

He was then told to leave council alone or "he would be made to disappear".

Threatening calls were made to his flat in Vryheid as well as to his home in Durban.

At the end of April "some friendly members of the media told me to be careful and not take the same route to and from home".

"Later, someone told me they had received a call from Gauteng province asking for confirmation of my physical addresses in Vryheid and Durban as well as the frequency of my movement between the two places," he said.

On May 5, Ndwandwe said someone knocked on the door of his flat in Vryheid a few minutes before midnight. When he asked who was there, the reply was: "You will know me when you see me".

The same thing happened again three days later.

Ndwandwe reported the threats to the police who took them seriously, he said.

Towards the end of May, Ndwandwe brought the matter to the attention of the council's Exco, "as the threats relate directly to my work", but has not received a response to date.

"I was hoping they would assist me as I am starting to feel the pinch financially," he said.

"Problems stem from council's activities and I felt that the decisions that were taken ought to be reported as I had advised council about the inappropriateness of the decisions," he said.

Ndwandwe said some councillors feel he should have not reported some of the issues to the authorities or that he did not have the authority to report on them.

He said some councillors said he should be grateful to be employed, suggesting that he should have kept quiet about what was happening in the council.

"My conscience is clear that, where necessary, I have advised council to ensure decisions are taken within the framework of the law," said Ndwandwe.

Meanwhile, the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald newspaper have received threats for the alleged bad press they have given to the IFP.

A letter from "IFP Youth members" warns reporters: "[We] will watch your step, then you will see what the millennium and democracy mean to the people who do not listen". .

- The Witness