Unclear motive in murder

2005-03-23 11:35

Johannesburg - A top Free State provincial government official was shot dead at his house in Bloemfontein on Tuesday night, police said on Wednesday.

Inspector Harry Nagel said a car pulled into the drive-way of Noby Ngombane's house in Hillsboro in the city around 22:00 on Tuesday night.

Ngombane was the head of the policy unit in the Free State premier Beatrice Marshoff's office.

"A political motive for the murder was a possibility but we cannot confirm it," Nagel said.

Ngombane, 38, went outside to investigate and the occupants of the vehicle opened fire on him. He ran back to the house while they were shooting at him.

Died from wounds

Nagel said Ngombane collapsed in the kitchen and was rushed to the Hydromed hospital where he died about an hour later as a result of his wounds.

According to a report in the Sunday Times last year, the MEC for tourism, Benjamin Malakoane wrote to premier Beatrice Marshoff stating that Ngombane, his then-head of department, was undermining his authority.

He was also worried about not being consulted by Ngombane on a decision to suspend four of the department's five chief directors pending the outcome of an investigation into financial irregularities. Dodo Rantho, Khaitiso Khotle, Laetitia van Rensburg and Tembeka Mhlekwa were reinstated by a court order.

Rantho had previously been dismissed by Ngombane but was also later reinstated.

The reports said a KPMG audit report noted a breakdown in the relationship between Ngombane and previous tourism MEC, Sakhiwo Belot, which was exposing the department to financial risk and that one or both of them be replaced.

The report also noted that Ngombane did not have a National Intelligence Agency security clearance required for attending certain meetings.

An application for clearance in 2002 had been turned down.

During his career he had been a political adviser to former premier Winkie Direko and a special adviser to her predecessor Ivy Matsepe Casaburri.

About Noby Ngombane

He has also been a spokesperson for Marshoff.

His wife Nokwanda worked for Marshoff as a personal assistant.

Ngombane had also previously served as a co-ordinator on an African National Congress leadership committee tasked with rebuilding its Free State structures.

He had also worked as a programme officer for the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance in Sweden.

The Free State has recently experienced a spate of protests against what residents are calling poor service delivery.

The protests contributed to the dissolution of three municipalities and the take-over of their functions by he provincial government.

There was also discontent in the provincial government about a head of department reshuffle which led to two resignations.

Marshoff's appointment as premier came as a surprise as many had expected long-time contender Ace Magashule to take the position.

- SAPA