Poisoned: The man who blew the whistle on Mpumalanga's hit squad

A confidential autopsy report says that Mpumalanga politician James Nkambule, who died suddenly last week, was poisoned. Nkambule, 37, was the whistle-blower who earlier this year claimed that politicians were behind assassinations in the province. He alleged that corruption surrounding the building of the province's multibillion-rand Mbombela stadium for the World Cup led to the deaths.

Nkambule collapsed and died at his home in Mjindini on Thursday night last week. At the time he was attempting to get a Mozambican man - who he believed to be the hit man - placed in the witness protection programme. The autopsy, conducted by Mpumalanga chief medical officer Dr Gantcho Gantchev, concludes his death was "unnatural". In the postmortem report, Gantchev describes "white foamy material" found in Nkambule's throat and windpipe, and about 30ml of brownish fluid "suggestive of ... poison ingestion" in his stomach. Gantchev told the Sunday Times: "There is no smoke without fire." "They killed him, they killed my dad," Nkambule's daughter, Buhle Nkambule, said on hearing the news. Toxicology tests will establish the type of poison and when it entered his system.

Nkambule first rose to prominence in 2001 when he claimed there was a plot to overthrow then president Thabo Mbeki. He had been branded a "professional liar" by the ANC after publicly accusing members Mathews Phosa, Tokyo Sexwale and Cyril Ramaphosa of being behind the move.

The ex-ANC member also recently claimed that Mpumalanga premier David Mabuza paid R400000 towards President Jacob Zuma's wedding last year. These claims were never denied by the Presidency. His wife, Claudia Xwabe, said this week that Dr Gantchev had told the family that the postmortem showed there was "a drug in (Nkambule's) body".

On Friday, police confirmed that "foul play" was suspected. "We have opened an inquest into the death," said provincial police spokesman Captain Leonard Hlati. Nkambule had recently met with police commissioner General Bheki Cele to discuss efforts to bring a Mozambican man, known in the criminal underworld as "Josh", to South Africa, where he was to be placed under a witness protection programme. Josh was to testify against prominent figures regarding the death of former Mbombela municipality speaker Jimmy Mohlala. Mohlala was killed after he blew the whistle on irregularities in the awarding of tenders to build the R2-billion Mbombela stadium. Mohlala's name was on a hit list of nine municipal officials opposed to awarding the contract for the construction of the stadium.

Josh has since claimed in an affidavit, now in the possession of the police, that he was hired by Mpumalanga officials and a soccer boss as a "cleaner" from 2000 until 2009 to eliminate political and business opponents. His work included smuggling drugs, poisoning people and carrying out other "hits". He said that the people he targeted included Nkambule; a former mayor of the Gert Sibande district council, Andries Gamede; Scopa chairman Fish Mahlalela; and Mbombela mayor Lassy Chiwayo.

He further alleged that Govan Mbeki municipality chief financial officer Joshua Ntshuhle's car was driven to Malawi to make it look like he had vanished. Ntshuhle went missing in December 2005, days before he was due to testify in the fraud and corruption trial of the municipality's marketing manager, Sibusiso Sigudla. The gangster further claimed that he was hired, along with three Zimbabwean nationals and a fellow Mozambican, to kill Mohlala. He said four of the men who helped carry out the hit on Mohlala had since been killed.

Nkambule recently slammed the police investigations into the murders - which might have also exposed the tender irregularities - as slow. He was due to appear in court this week on charges of fraud and defeating the ends of justice after police accused him of fabricating the sworn statement by Josh.

The Sunday Times has established that the police have yet to question anyone in connection with Nkambule's earlier complaint that he had been poisoned. The politician had maintained he was poisoned in 2006 by political opponents, leaving him having to be hospitalised several times. In August last year, Nkambule said, Josh approached him and confessed that he had poisoned him on instructions from a senior politician. In a statement seen by the Sunday Times, Josh details how he was handed "a small bottle that was full of liquid substances" in 2006, and instructed to infiltrate a company catering for a matric dance in Barberton where Nkambule was a guest speaker. "I did in September 2006 ... empty the bottle ... in James Nkambule's food and I went to personally serve him at his table," he said in his statement.

Josh claimed he was prompted to confess to Nkambule after he learnt that his fellow assassins had all been executed to destroy evidence. Nkambule submitted the statement to police in February - whereupon he was arrested on suspicion of fabricating the statement. Hlati this week rubbished Nkambule and Josh's claims: "We did not question any person because we did not receive any statement from Josh," he said on Friday. "If you have this Josh, please produce him."

Source: Times Live

'Fake Letter' Official gets Death Threats

The government official caught at the centre of the controversy surrounding journalist Mzilikazi wa Afrika's arrest has apparently been receiving death threats. Victor Mlimi, a Mbombela councillor and deputy director in Mpumalanga's housing department, says that he has been suspended from his government post on 54 "trumped up" misconduct charges and has also received telephonic death threats.

Mlimi was arrested and charged alongside Wa Afrika on fraud, forgery and uttering (circulating fraudulent items) charges for supposedly being in possession of an alleged fake letter of resignation from Premier David Mabuza to President Jacob Zuma. The charges were provisionally withdrawn on Wednesday, to allow the State to properly investigate the allegations and the actual role played by Wa Afrika and Mlimi in the controversy. “It is strange that I was arrested and charged for a document that was not in my possession. This case has made my life difficult because since I was arrested I've received death threats from faceless people. I was also suspended two weeks ago, on very strange charges," Mlimi told African Eye News Service (AENS). He said he had neither reported the threats to the police nor had he hired private security. “What is the point of reporting death threats to the police in this province? They are the people who arrested me. They are probably on the payroll of the person who is behind the whole mess here," he said.

Mlimi said he also received death threats in 2005, when he protested against intimidation during the election of a chairperson of the ANC Ehlanzeni regional executive council that year. He said. more recently, he was accused of paying the R8 000 bail of former ANC member James Nkambule, now COPE's chairman in Ehlanzeni, after his arrest in March. Nkambule was arrested for supposedly obstructing justice, fraud and forgery after claiming to be in possession of a hit-list of politicians and officials believed to be critical of the provincial government. Nkambule claimed that the list was drafted by a hitman, known only as 'Josh', who had been hired by a high-level but unnamed politician.

Mlimi's name was on the list, along with the assassinated speaker of the Mbombela local municipality Jimmy Mohlala, who was investigating tender irregularities around the Mbombela Stadium. “My only mistake was to attend Nkambule's court appearance, not knowing that the next time I came to court I would be an accused in [this] strange political case,” he said.

Mlimi declined to say on Wednesday whether he intended suing for defamation or other damages after the charges were withdrawn this week. Wa Afrika has indicated that he intends suing individuals in both government and political parties. He refused to name the people.

Premier Mabuza's office has, however, made a number of public statements accusing Nkambule and Wa Afrika of undermining government and participating in a campaign to unseat Mabuza. The provincial ANC Youth League and the South African National Civic Organisation have gone further and accused the two of being 'traitors'. Mabuza's spokesman, Mabutho Sithole, this week refused to comment of the withdrawal of charges. Provincial ANCY spokesman Ozzy Ronald Lamola said however that it is "disappointing" to hear that Wa Afrika was a free man. “Our disappointment stems from the fact that he was accused of a very dangerous crime that warranted him being charged with high treason. We, however, respect the due process of the law and hope that he is not off the hook as we believe that the investigation will confirm that he must indeed be charged with high treason,” said Lamola.

Sanco provincial treasurer Raymond Makamo accused the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) of bowing to public pressure by withdrawing the charges against Wa Afrika. “Why did they charge him in the first place if they did not have enough evidence against him? We believe that there is a case against Wa Afrika,” said Makamo.

After Mlimi and Wa Afrika's brief court appearance on Wednesday, the NPA returned Wa Afrika's passport, notebooks and other documents that were confiscated from his house when he was arrested on August 4.

Source: Capital

Intelligence agencies monitored Mpumalanga 'troublemakers'

MPUMALANGA Premier David Mabuza refuses to say whether he has used surveillance or intelligence agents to monitor journalists or political opponents.

Mabuza has, however, previously told an April 15 press conference that he routinely monitors "troublemakers" in the province, via weekly intelligence reports containing classified information, including surveillance records of people perceived to be a threat to the stability of his administration.

He boasted at the time that nothing happened in the province without him being aware of it -- but, in the wake of international condemnation of the arrest of Sunday Times investigative journalist Mzilikazi wa Afrika, Mabuza refused to either confirm or deny this week whether provincial intelligence authorities had included journalists in their surveillance.

Mabuza was not so coy back in April, when he told journalists: "On a daily basis, on a weekly basis I receive reports: intelligence reports with classified information. The reports tell me about your activities [and] about ordinary people doing things. And [the reports] will tell me the names of the people [involved]. They will tell me about threats in the province. It is [the security agency's] responsibility to do that. I mean across the board. "In these service delivery protests, they report who is who. Just for me to know, so I don’t miss the point. Not for me to arrest them. They will tell me [you] are doing one, two, three, four, five. Oh, OK. When I meet you, I will hug you and laugh with you, but I will know: there is something I know about you," Mabuza explained.

When questioned on the legality of monitoring political colleagues or journalists, Mabuza stressed that he merely received the reports. "People are not monitored [directly] by us, but remember that this is not a free-for-all country where you can steal cars, smuggle things, and hope that people will not follow you. As long as the security agencies feel they suspect you, they follow you, and they report where they must report so that you can be arrested or be monitored. It is their duty. "But, for me -- for people who are causing unrest, who are toyi-toying, who [are] saying things -- I must know who is doing what, where. The [security agencies] have a responsibility to tell me. How they do it, how they collect data, it is not my responsibility. I am not going to ask them how they came to this conclusion. Because they are giving me that information not to use, but to know."

Mabuza was then at pains to explain that all surveillance in the province was legal. "Security agencies, they know what to do. They cannot be threatened by you. If they want to listen to your phone, they know what to do. And, they will be granted permission. They must offer reasons why they want to listen to your phone, and a magistrate will give that permission. And that is it. Then you are being listened at. "But on their own, I don’t think that can just listen to your phone. It is a process. If you go to your law, you will find it. It is legislated, because as much as they can listen to your phone, you have got a right as a human being."

Mabuza's spokesman, Mabutho Sithole, confirmed on Thursday that Mabuza had been speaking about the supposed conspiracy involving Wa Afrika and a Mpumalanga deputy director for informal settlements, Victor Mlimi. The two were arrested earlier this week and charged with fraud, forgery, and uttering (to circulate fraudulent items) for being in possession of an allegedly fake letter of resignation purportedly written by Mabuza to President Jacob Zuma.

Mabuza issued a strongly worded press statement shortly after the arrests, claiming Wa Afrika was part of a wider plot to destabilise the province and unseat Mabuza as premier. "Definitely, he was speaking about the same case at that press conference [in April]. It is all linked: this Josh hit-list story, the alleged raid on [Mabuza's] house that never happened, and now the fake resignation letter. We said then that journalists were part of a plot with people who are hell-bent on discrediting the Premier's good name," said Sithole.

Sithole said the allegations, including that Mabuza had an arms cache and millions in cash at his home plus that he'd hired hitmen to murder opponents, were viewed as threats to state security. Sithole also claimed that the violent service delivery riots that have rocked the province for over a year are part of the plot, and are being funded by political opponents. He refused, however, to comment on whether Mabuza had received surveillance reports on journalists who reported on the allegations, or who were perceived to be "part of the plot". "I do not know and I will not ask the Premier, because even if he is receiving such reports, he would not tell me yes or no. He would not be able to divulge in terms of protocol. The content of such reports is classified," Sithole insisted on Thursday. When pressed, Sithole undertook to check with Mabuza. He was, however, still unwilling to confirm or deny on Friday and was consistently unavailable on Saturday.

Hawks spokesman Musa Zondi also refused to comment on whether intelligence agencies had assisted with the investigation, or whether journalists in the province had been under surveillance. "I have not been briefed on that, and am not going to speculate or say anything before the matter is before court. You will have to wait for the court hearing," was Zondi's initial terse response. When pressed for comment again on Saturday, Zondi said: "I can't comment on spying issues. That is outside my scope".

National Intelligence Agency (NIA) spokeswoman, Lorna Daniels, was unavailable on either of her mobile phones on Saturday. Zondi meanwhile also refused to respond to Mabuza's midnight statement on Wednesday, which claimed Wa Afrika's arrest was linked to that of James Nkambule in March.

Nkambule was arrested after admitting to circulating a hit-list of Mpumalanga public figures supposedly drafted by a Mozambican assassin known only as 'Josh'. The list included Mbombela municipality speaker, councillor Jimmy Mohlala, who was executed in front of his family in January 2009 while investigating tender irregularities relating to the Mbombela 2010 stadium. No one has been arrested for the murder. The list also included names of other Mpumalanga officials who had either died or disappeared in questionable circumstances during anti-corruption investigations.

Source: Capital

Arrested journo fears for safety of news sources

INVESTIGATIVE journalist Mzilikazi wa Afrika fears that his confidential sources may be in danger after Hawks investigators seized 11 years' worth of reporter notebooks and research documents. The boxes of documents were seized from his Johannesburg home immediately after his arrest on Wednesday morning, when plain-clothes investigators combed through his house without a search warrant. “The notebooks they took have nothing to do with the fake letter issue. The notebooks date back more than 11 years, to when I still worked for African Eye News Service in Nelspruit. They contain detailed notes on all the investigations I have done over the years," said Wa Afrika. "I am really concerned that they will use the notebooks to trace and intimidate sources or even people who have spoken to me in their official capacity over the years. It feels like a witch-hunt."

Hawks spokesman Musa Zondi initially insisted on Thursday evening that investigators had used a warrant to seize the notebooks, but conceded late on Thursday night that police had neglected to obtain court sanction for the search. "The original arrangement was for Mzilikazi to voluntarily surrender to investigators, so we did not need a warrant. But, plans changed, and we arrested him instead. There is, however, allowance in the Criminal Procedure Act for search and seizure without a warrant," Zondi explained. He was unable to say why plans changed, but did confirm that the confiscated notebooks had been handed over to police in Mpumalanga itself for "further investigation". "I cannot speak about the scope of the investigation, but it definitely does not stretch back 11 years. As a former journalist I can see where you are going [with questions about the safety of the notebooks]. I cannot comment. I am stumped," said Zondi.

In addition to the notebooks, Hawks investigators carted off scores of personal records and documents, as well as work-related research notes connected with the Mpumalanga Tourism & Parks Agency (MTPA) and an old public commission report into the apartheid military's secret activities -- plus his teenage son's laptop. “I don't have a clue what they would want with my son's laptop. The other documents are also completely unrelated to the fake letter issue,” said Wa Afrika.

The 'fake' letter at the apparent root of the drama is a supposedly fraudulent resignation letter, on an official Mpumalanga government letterhead, from Premier David Mabuza to President Jacob Zuma. Mabuza issued a statement shortly after Wa Afrika's arrest claiming that the journalist was part of a wider plot to destabilise the province. Wa Afrika and his lawyers are, however, still unclear exactly what the charges against him are. Although he appeared briefly in the Nelspruit regional court on Friday morning for a bail application, the Hawks have yet to release the detailed charge sheet or any other information about his supposed criminal conduct.

Wa Afrika was initially said to be facing charges for fraud and defeating the ends of justice. But, two hours after he was released on R5,000 bail, the charges were amended to fraud, forgery, and 'uttering' (which means the attempt to pass off something fake as genuine). "We've asked for the charge sheet, so we can understand what exactly he is accused of, but I have yet to receive it," says the Sunday Times attorney Eric van den Berg. Wa Afrika also reports that while in detention he was woken at 2am and interrogated by about whether he was part of a group or faction trying to destabilise the African National Congress (ANC) in Mpumalanga. "I wasn't asked about destabilising the provincial government or the country. I was asked about destabilising the ruling party," he says.

South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) media freedom spokesman Raymond Louw said on Friday that confiscation of any reporters' notebooks or confidential research notes by police was a “serious transgression” of their rights and needed to be challenged. “It looks like a fishing expedition. Unfortunately there is little SANEF can do right now about Mzilikazi's situation, until our meeting with national Police Commissioner Bheki Cele on Tuesday. We will definitely raise the issue of the notebooks with Cele,” said Louw.

The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) also expressed outrage on Friday, saying police had no right to seize notebooks or records that do not directly relate to the charges against Wa Afrika. "We strongly advise Mzilikazi and his attorneys to argue that the search and seizure at his house was illegal, especially if the notebooks have nothing to do with this case,” said FXI attorney and media freedom expert, Mbali Cele.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga, however, insisted on Friday that investigators have prima facie evidence to substantiate the Hawks actions. “We have overwhelming evidence against the accused. The reason we did not oppose their bail application though, is because we do need additional time to gather more evidence,” said Mhaga.

Wa Afrika and a deputy director in Mpumalanga's housing department, Victor Mlimi, were both released on R5,000 bail each and told to return to court on November 8. A third suspect who was arrested with Mlimi on Tuesday afternoon, an unnamed teacher at Mganduzweni Primary School near White River, was released without being charged after being questioned by police. She was originally accused of faxing the fake letter to various journalists, including Wa Afrika, and President Zuma's office.

Mlimi has also not yet received a copy of the detailed charge sheet. Premier Mabuza's spokesman Mabutho Sithole, who camped out at court both on Thursday and Friday, continues to insist that the two are pawns for "powerful people" who are bankrolling a plot to oust Mabuza from office. Sithole insists that the case extends beyond the resignation letter: he claims that the recent arrests are linked to the arrest of former ANC Youth league leader and current regional COPE chairman, James Nkambule, on March 25.

Nkambule was charged for fraud and defeating the ends of justice for allegedly fabricating and circulating a supposed hit-list of prominent public figures, including the assassinated speaker of the Mbombela Local Municipality, Jimmy Mohlala. Mohlala was executed in front his teenage son in January 2009 one day before he was scheduled to speak publicly about suspected tender irregularities relating to the 2010 FIFA World Cup Stadium in Mbombela. Nkambule insists that the hit-list and an accompanying affidavit were written by a Mozambican hitman, identified only as 'Josh', after his Mpumalanga paymasters tried to kill him.

Wa Afrika was one of a number of journalists who wrote about the allegations, and about Nkambule's subsequent arrest. Nkambule is currently on R8,000 bail awaiting trial on October 14.

Source: Capital

Mystery rumours, SMS bedevil Mabuza

The rumour mill sprang into full operation this week as speculation abounded about whether Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza's farm near Barberton had been raided by police, and whether he had been taken in for questioning.

The raid was alleged to have been linked to the police investigation of alleged political assassinations in the province. A self-confessed hitman, known only as "Josh", had claimed that an influential ANC leader in the province had offered him R100 000 and a government job if he poisoned government officials blocking access to tenders linked to the World Cup. According to reports, the assassin said he had pulled out of the job after a disagreement with his client over the payment of an advance fee.

In the past two years eight officials have either died under suspicious circumstances or been murdered. Their names had apparently appeared on a hitlist. "Josh" had reportedly admitted in an affidavit before a judge that he was "responsible for the 2009 murder of Mbombela council speaker Jimmy Mohlala". The ANC had also allegedly earlier admitted knowing about the hitlist, saying it had sent officials to the province to investigate. It has been alleged that ANC officials Themba Monareng, Mthandazo Ngobeni, Vusi Sibiya, Lucas Shongwe and ANC member Michael Sifunda were poisoned.

This week Cosatu charged that the murder on Wednesday of Bomber Ntshangase, who had served on the SACP in Mpumalanga's provincial executive committee, was linked to the hitlist. "It seems that he is yet another victim of the 'tenderpreneurs' in the province who have been assassinating anyone who stands in the way of their greed to accumulate wealth. This makes us all the more determined to wage war on corruption and save our movement from this alien culture," Cosatu spokesman Patrick Craven said.

Former ANC Youth League leader and now a senior Cope member, James Nkambule, was arrested in March in connection with the statement made by "Josh", and later released on R8 000 bail by the Nelspruit Magistrate's Court. He is facing a charge of defeating the ends of justice.

Nkambule, who had made headlines several years ago when he alleged that there was a plot by former Mpumalanga premier and current ANC treasurer-general Mathews Phosa, current Housing Minister Tokyo Sexwale and former ANC secretary-general Cyril Ramaphosa to oust former president Thabo Mbeki, also claimed earlier this year that Mabuza had contributed R400 000 to President Jacob Zuma's wedding to his second wife, Nompumelelo Ntuli. He had earlier said he knew who was behind at least one of the killings, that some of the murders were planned at a farm owned by an ANC politician outside Nelspruit and that he had given information to crime intelligence officials. He was taken in for questioning soon after.

This week police, the Hawks and government officials vehemently denied that Mabuza had been arrested, and that weapons, cash and computers had been confiscated during a raid on his farm on Monday morning. Claims that Mabuza had been contacted by National Police Commissioner General Bheki Cele and asked to step down as potentially damning information that would harm the ANC had surfaced against him were also strongly denied by Mabuza's spokesman, Mabutho Sithole. "As far as I know there was never any interaction between the premier and General Cele," he said.

According to an SMS circulated this week, police had confiscated R45-million in cash, eight state-issued R5 rifles and ammunition, two AK-47 assault rifles, four unlicensed pistols, passports, IDs and other documents, as well as a laptop containing details about all projects in Mpumalanga, including instructions to heads of department about who may be awarded tenders.

Claims that could not be officially confirmed included that a warrant of arrest was issued for Mabuza by a Nelspruit magistrate last week; that police had arrived at the provincial legislature on April 30 to arrest Mabuza, but had left without doing so; that the premier was taken in for questioning that lasted more than two hours, after Monday's raid; and that he was to be arrested in coming days.

The rumours have seen Mpumalanga police commissioner Lieutenant General Thulani Ntobela issue a statement on Thursday to "set the record straight". Ntobela responded to the claims, saying: "We did not raid the premier's house as it is alleged. We did not take the premier in for questioning." The police did not have any knowledge of the allegations contained in the SMS "bearing serious damning allegations" against Mabuza, he added. "The person who is behind all this (is) hereby warned not (to) use the police for his or her unknown benefit. We are sending a strong warning to such a person to stop accusing the premier and using the name of the police to further his/her interests. This is uncalled for and it should stop with immediate effect," said Ntobela.

Hawks spokesman Musa Zondi said the raid "did not take place" and Mabuza was "never called in" for questioning. "It simply did not happen," he said. The "confession" by "Josh" was being followed up by the Hawks, said Zondi. ANC officials in Mpumalanga laughed when approached for comment, saying the claims of a raid and the arrest of the premier were "ridiculous".

DA leader in Mpumalanga Anthony Benade said he had also heard several rumours, but could confirm nothing as it was "difficult to get information".

He added that if there was any evidence that the premier was involved in wrongdoing he would surely have been formally arrested and taken to court. "I certainly hope there is not some kind of cover-up that is preventing anyone from taking action against the premier, if he has a case to answer to, because the police or other investigators believe he is too powerful," he said.

Sithole described the rumours as ludicrous, saying there was "never any raid whatsoever". "Common sense tells me that if there was a raid and you arrest a person you have to request a warrant. There was no such thing. The police would not deny a raid if they did raid a person," he said. "We don't know where all this comes from, but it is from someone who is hell-bent on defaming the premier, the province and its people. It is very sad."

Sithole, referring to previous claims that R14m had been stolen from the premier's farm and the latest claim that R45m in cash was confiscated from the property during this week's alleged raid, stated that the premier would never keep that amount of money in his home. He also questioned what Mabuza would want to do with an AK-47, emphasising that a police raid was something that could not be hidden from the public.

The person or persons who had started rumours appeared to have a political motive, he said. "It is so unfortunate. We are hoping that the police will investigate where these rumours come from," he added. Asked how the premier was handling reports of his arrest and the raid, he said Mabuza had initially brushed them off. But he had taken the matter more seriously when they persisted. This had necessitated him going on local radio to dispel the rumours. Referring to allegations of Mabuza's involvement in the alleged assassinations, Sithole said once the truth emerged, "the people... will be surprised one day when they find out who is behind this thing".

Source: IoL

ANC at war over premier

The political future of Mpumalanga Premier David "DD" Mabuza is in the balance, with some senior ANC leaders pushing for his early exit from the province's hot seat. ANC sources said this week that members of the party's national executive committee (NEC) had been wanting him removed because of the spate of service delivery protests and allegations relating to the murder of government officials and ANC politicians in Mpumalanga.

President Jacob Zuma, who personally intervened in the protests, has complained that government officials at other levels have not followed up on his work. Provincial sources have repeatedly accused party treasurer Mathews Phosa of being opposed to Mabuza, though Phosa denies this. They have also accused ANC national spokesperson Jackson Mthembu of allowing uncertainty about Mabuza's position to continue.

However, Mabuza has powerful backers in the NEC -- they include Limpopo Premier Cassel Mathale, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Zweli Mkhize, Deputy Police Minister Fikile Mbalula and ANC Youth League president Julius Malema. Several Mpumalanga and national ANC leaders have told the M&G that investigations by the police's crime intelligence unit have looked closely at Mabuza's alleged involvement in the scandals surrounding the Mbombela stadium. His spokesperson, Mabutho Sithole, said this week that he was aware of the rumours to this effect but no one had officially notified the premier. "We all hear the rumours. The police are better placed to answer that as they are the ones who are investigating," Sithole said. The M&G was unable to obtain police confirmation.

Mthembu said he would not comment on the rumours, though he defended his earlier decision to release a statement saying the ANC took the matter seriously and all allegations against provincial ANC leaders, including Mabuza, were being probed. His remarks angered Mabuza's supporters, who accused Mthembu of using his position to take on political rivals in Mpumalanga. "What we said was that a team is investigating the allegations raised," Mthembu said. "I don't know where this thing that I'm biased comes from. We read about the [existence] of the hit list in the media and we just can't dismiss it." Those backing Mabuza's removal say, bearing in mind next year's municipal elections, it would spare the ANC embarrassment if he left before more evidence against him emerged.

Since becoming premier Mabuza has been locked in political battles with his colleagues in the provincial ANC who feel they were marginalised when he appointed his cabinet. But his supporters believe he is being targeted by individuals out to control provincial resources. Mabuza's detractors are pushing for his rival, Mbombela mayor Lucky Chiwayo, to succeed him. But Chiwayo, who lost the position of provincial ANC chair to Mabuza, is under pressure from Mabuza's supporters to quit as mayor. This week the ANC's Ehlanzeni regional general council passed a resolution recommending that Chiwayo be recalled. The resolution is apparently in retaliation for his refusal to reinstate former Mbombela municipal manager Jacob Dladla, a Mabuza ally. Chiwayo dismissed him because of allegations that he irregularly authorised the payment of R43-million to Lekia, the company of Kaizer Chiefs manager Bobby Motaung.

Meanwhile, Mpumalanga police have arrested former ANC provincial secretary James Nkambule on charges of defeating the ends of justice, fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud. Nkambule recently handed an affidavit to police which he claimed was written by a Mozambican hitman known as Josh, who said he was paid to assassinate politicians in the province.

Source: Mail & Guardian