I killed Mohlala’ - ‘Hired hitman fingers top politician and soccer boss |
Publication |
Sunday World |
Date | 2010-02-28 |
Reporter | Mzilikazi wa Afrika, Charles Molele |
Web Link | www.sundayworld.co.za |
Assassinated: Former Mbombela speaker and whistle blower Jimmy Mohlala
Picture by Russell Roberts
Killed: Spokesperson Sammy Mphatlanyane
Picture Andrew Hlongwane
Silent: Mpumalanga premier David Mabuza
Picture by Andrew Hlongwane
Killed: Former defence secretary January Masilela
Picture by Raymond Preston
‘Our investigation has fingered Josh as responsible for Masilela’s death’
The Mozambican gangster who claims to have been hired by top Mpumalanga
government officials to eliminate opponents has now been
linked to the death of former SA National
Defence Force secretary January “Che” Masilela *1.
The police believe the thug, known in the criminal underworld as Josh, is
also responsible for the unsolved murder of Morris Mothibi, a well-known
Joburg drug lord, in 2006.
Masilela, a high-flying ANC cadre from
Mpumalanga, died on the N4 highway near Bronkhortspruit at about 5.20am on
August 25 2008 after his BMW X5 overturned and burst into flames. *2
Police sources told Sunday World this week that Josh
seems to have been hired to kill Masilela and that his murder was made to
look like a car accident.
“The information in our possession is that Masilela’s accident was a hit,”
says a police source. “Our investigation has fingered Josh, also known as
Joseph Khoza and Orlando Maziya, as responsible for his death.”
At the time of his death senior ANC members in Mpumalanga were lobbying with
the party’s deployment committee at Luthuli House for Masilela to replace
Thabang Makwetla as premier when his term ended in May 2009.
The current Mpumalanga premier is David Mabuza, who was elected provincial
chairman at the party’s provincial conference in August 2008.
Sunday World can today reveal that Josh has also made sensational claims in
an affidavit against at least one senior ANC politician and a top soccer
boss regarding the death of former Mbombela speaker Jimmy Mohlala, who blew
the whistle on irregularities in the tenders to build the R2bn Fifa 2010
World Cup stadium in Nelspruit.
The police want him to make a confession before a magistrate .
Arrangements are being made for his safety when he makes the confession and
for his placement in the witness protection programme.
He will then testify against the senior ANC politician, two Mpumalanga
businessmen and a prominent soccer boss.
The Mozambican claims he was hired by the Mpumalanga government officials
and the soccer boss as a “cleaner” from 2000 until 2009 to eliminate the
four men’s political and business opponents.
His work included smuggling drugs, moving cash, burying dead people and
murdering opponents, some by poisoning.
He alleges that he planted drugs in councillor Isiah Khoza’s house, poisoned
ANC Youth League provincial leader James Nkambule, tried to kill former
mayor of the Gert Sibande district council Andries Gamede and Standing
Committee on Public Accounts chairman Fish Mahlalela and Mbombela mayor
Lassy Chiwayo.
He further alleges that Govan Mbeki chief financial officer Joshua
Ntshuhle’s car was driven to Malawi to make it look like he vanished while
driving to Malawi.
Ntshuhle vanished in December 2005, days before he was scheduled to testify
in the fraud and corruption trial of the municipality’s marketing manager
Sibusiso Sigudla.
His body is believed to be buried on a farm outside Nelspruit, along with
two others.
“I buried these bodies at the farm,” claims Josh.
The Mozambican gangster also claims he and three Zimbabwean nationals and a
fellow Mozambican were hired to assassinate Mohlala.
They were offered R40000 each for the hit, which they dubbed “Mbombela
Cleanup Operation”.
“After following Mr Mohlala’s movements, we splited (sic) into two groups,”
claims Josh in the affidavit.
“One group of three was stationed at one of his two houses and the other
group, myself and (name withheld) was stationed at the other house.
“We followed Mr Mohlala into the house and I shot him twice or thrice. He
was with a child who was shot by (name withheld) while I had to make sure
that Mr Mohlala was dead. This was January 2009.
“I called (name withheld) and told him the job was done. (Name withheld)
sounded very happy on hearing this news.”
“He told me the rest of our money will be paid sooner (sic). He also told me
to “shake” Mr Chiwayo with threats on his phone. I threatened Mr Chiwayo on
his phone at least five times.”
Chiwayo confirms he got threatening phone calls shortly after Mohlala was
killed from “a very aggressive person”.
He says: “I was told that I will go back home to Witbank in a coffin.”
Nkambule made a statement to senior Barberton Police’s Superintendent Harry
Shabangu about his alleged poisoning.
“Josh confirmed to have poisoned me
with a substance *3 that activated an otherwise benign
cancer in me which is now killing me softly,” he says in his statement.
Four of the hitmen who carried out the hit on Mohlala have since been killed
to destroy evidence.
The Mozambican national claims he fears for his life but is willing to
co-operate with the South African police if placed in a witness protection
programme in order to testify against the Mpumalanga government officials
and the soccer boss .
On Friday Mpumalanga police spokesman Superintendent Sibongile Nkosi con-
firmed that they had received the affidavit from Josh.
“We can confirm that the police have obtained an affidavit and that our
members are still investigating allegations made in it,” he said.
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With acknowledgements to Mzilikazi wa Afrika, Charles Molele and Sunday World.