WeeklySA_AdminINTRIGUE: Police investigating break-in and theft at Ntombela’s farm, which happened three months ago, but whose occurrence was not made public until now…
By WSAM Reporter
The African National Congress has been rocked by yet another potential scandal involving a high-profile member of the organisation whose private residence was broken into and an undisclosed amount, rumoured around R5 million, stolen.
Police have confirmed that a burglary did take place at the private residence of Free State Premier, Sisi Ntombela and her husband, Louis who is an ANC Member of Parliament, in Frankfort in the Free State at about 6pm on April 9 this year. But police have not confirmed whether cash was stolen during the burglary, saying investigation was underway and no arrests had been made.
Provincial DA leader and Member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL), Roy Jankielsohn, this week stated that the burglary at Ntombela’s house was confirmed by MEC of Police, Roads and Transport, William Bulwane. He said there were allegations that R5 million was stolen during the burglary – which Ntombela disputed this week, saying this was a ploy to tarnish her in the build-up to the ANC’s elective conference in December.
During a legislature sitting, Bulwane told members that the burglary was reported to police three months ago and he listed an undisclosed amount of cash that was stolen.
Ntombela spokesperson Palesa Chubisi confirmed to Radio OFM that the premier’s Frankfort house was broken into. Chubisi says Ntombela has since reported the matter to the police in Frankfort and it is being investigated.
The latest incident comes hot on the heels of the reported burglary at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala Farm in Limpopo where a substantial amount of money believed to be millions of dollars, were stolen on February 2, 2020.
It also follows another incident on December 23 2009, when a burglary occurred at the Deputy President David Mabuza’s farm in Barberton in Mpumalanga and an alleged sum of R14 million in cash was stolen. Mabuza was premier of Mpumalanga at the time. Police opened a case and the province’s organised crime unit insisted just R1 200 was stolen. No one was ever arrested for the theft.
Yet, at the time, Barberton police had confirmed that a case involving the theft of R4 million had opened in connection with the burglary at Mabuza at the time. But police later confirmed only R1 200 was stolen. A security company responsible for guarding Mabuza premises was later axed following the incident.
At the time, senior government officials told the Sunday Times that a relative of the premier, Mxolisi S’gudla, was last year taken to Barberton police station, and questioned about the theft. A police source said the case was later “killed to avoid many questions being asked”, according to the Sunday Times report at the time.
Meanwhile the burglary and theft at Ramaphosa’s farm was recently exposed in a sworn statement by Arthur Fraser, the former head of the South African State Security Agency, the country’s spy agency. He filed a complaint at a Johannesburg police station in which he accused the President of concealing the alleged crime.
He also accused Ramaphosa of kidnapping, bribery and money laundering. Fraser alleged that about four million dollars were stolen from the farm. His statement was accompanied by closed circuit television footage of the alleged crime as well as photographs. The matter was being investigated.
The President confirmed that the robbery took place and that the matter was reported to the police. He was not in the country at the time. Ramaphosa also said that the money, which he stressed was far less than the amount mentioned by Fraser, was proceeds from the sale of game on his farm. Ramaphosa denied having committed any crime or any acts of wrongdoing.
Meanwhile, Free State leader of the Democratic Alliance in the Free State, Dr Roy Jankielsohn, has been quoted saying they were going to officially inquire about the alleged burglary at the Premier, Ntombela’s private residence in the Free State legislature this week. The DA will also seek confirmation about the amount of money allegedly stolen from the house.
“We hear that the Prime Minister does not want to cooperate with the police by giving a statement or making the CCTV cameras’ footage available’’, Jankielsohn was quoted as saying in an Afrikaans newspaper. Ntombela has reportedly confirmed that there was a burglary and robbery at her Frankfort home three months ago and the matter was reported to the police.
She stressed however that no money had been stolen. “It was just laptops and a handbag that was stolen,” she is reported as saying.
“I think the story about the money that’s gone missing is a political ploy to drag my name through the mud because the ANC is heading to conferences in the Free State and nationally. I think there is someone behind my premier post ’’, Ntombela was quoted as saying.
Ntombela reportedly said she heard about an amount of up to R12 million believed to have been stolen from her home. It is not known if she gave a statement to the police.
Questions raised by Jankielsohn to William Bulwane, the provincial MEC for police, roads and transport, in the legislature this week, including whether there were amounts of cash mentioned as missing in the Premier’s statement, and if so, how much money it was.
Free State police spokesman Brigadier Sam Makhele confirmed that the alleged burglary was committed on Saturday, 9 April, 2022 at about 6pm when a security officer on duty called police about the burglary at the Ntombelas private residence.
‘’While he was busy with inspection at the house, he saw that the kitchen safety door had been cut open and that the bedroom door handle was damaged. The value of the damage is estimated at almost R5 000,” Makhele is quoted as saying.
“What was stolen and the footage from the CCTV cameras is part of the investigation which is currently ongoing,” he added.
Police have separately interviewed the premier and the security officials.
BURGLARY AT FREE STATE PREMIER’S FARM: April 9 2022: Sisi Ntombela rumoured to have had R5 million stolen at her farm in Frankfurt. She denies such an amount was stolen…
BURGLARY AT PRESIDENT’S PHALA PHALA FARM: FEBRUARY 9 2020: President Cyril Ramaphosa is fighting off the flames from the international scandal surrounding the alleged theft about R60 million from his Limpopo game farm. BURGLARY AT MPUMALANGA PREMIER’S FARM: DECEMBER 21 2009: Deputy President David Mabuza’s farm in Barberton in Mpumalanga was reportedly robbed of R14 million in 2009. Mabuza was the premier of Mpumalanga at the time. But Barberton police station confirmed, at the time, they had opened a case, number 237/12/2009, relating to R4-million (theft). Intriguingly, the province’s organised crime unit insisted just R1 200 was stolen. No one was ever charged for the theft.
Published on the 57th Edition. Get E-Copy
