Business as usual for Cachalia
2007-02-27 13:18
Johannesburg - Gauteng community safety MEC Firoz Cachalia's armed robbery ordeal five days ago has not affected his ability to do his job, his spokesperson said on Tuesday.
"It is an incident of crime but it hasn't affected his ability to carry out his professional duties," said Dumisani Ngema.
Cachalia would not give interviews about the incident. "He's taken the view that he has issued a statement and he wouldn't want to add anything."
Cachalia was due to lay a charge on Tuesday at the Parkview police station about the incident in which he and his wife Nazira were accosted by two men with knives on Friday evening.
A charge, of armed robbery, would be made either in person at the Parkview station or a statement would be collected from the MEC, Ngema said.
The MEC had immediately informed the station about the incident despite not formally laying a charge, he said.
"He's going to do so today - he didn't get an opportunity over the weekend because he had departmental commitments."
Cachalia and his wife were accosted by two men wielding knives while taking a walk in the park at the Emmarentia Dam, his department said.
Two other couples were attacked by the same two individuals.
The MEC and his wife Nazira were not physically harmed, but his wife's ring and watch were taken.
Cachalia's attack comes a week after the Durban home of KwaZulu-Natal safety and security MEC Bheki Cele was burgled.
- SAPA