Property of South Africa’s consul-general to China, Lassy Chiwayo, was razed in a fire at the Nelspruit house he used to occupy last night.
The property that was damaged at the house in Thekwane South outside Nelspruit includes his Porsche.
Police are on the scene trying to gather evidence. Mpumalanga police spokesperson Colonel Leonard Hlathi said he would comment after getting more information.
Chiwayo told City Press this morning that he had left his belongings at the house for safe-keeping.
The house belongs to the state and he used it while he was Mbombela executive mayor before being posted to China last year. Former ANC treasurer-general Mathews Phosa also stayed in that house when he was premier of Mpumalanga in the late 90s.
Chiwayo said he was contemplating flying back home.
“I’ve left the space to be away but I’m still being followed,” Chiwayo said referring to his political rivals.
Chiwayo’s house at Ridgehill Estate in Drumrock near White River was also broken into last year February and four pairs of shoes were taken.
He believed the incident could have also been the work of his political rivals who wanted to “send him a message”.
While he was Mbombela mayor, Chiwayo was seeking justice for the murder of the municipality’s former speaker, Jimmy Mohlala. Mohlala was assassinated while fighting tender corruption in the R1.2-billion Mbombela World Cup soccer stadium.
His outspokenness on the matter forced him to beef up his security because he suspected that there was a plot to assassinate him as well.
Chiwayo had particularly been questioning the police’s work on Mohlala’s case. He felt that they had ignored documentary evidence which gave context to what had happened before Mohlala was assassinated.
