Ekurhuleni businessman Bongani Nhlapo is in hiding after a hitman threatened him over the municipality’s waste tender project.
Nhlapo said he was threatened after he demanded to be paid by the Waste Partner company that owed him more than R2 million.
“The main contractor Waste Partner send his goons to threaten me, after we blocked his truck at the waste depot.
“Him and his ‘hitman’ came out guns blazing, threatening to shoot us. When we demanded that he pay us, he simply told us that he was also not paid by the municipality,” the businessman said.
Nhlapo told the publication that he had informed the city’s Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) chairperson Mziyanda Mketsu.
Speaking to The Star on Sunday, Mketsu confirmed that he met with both Nhlapo and the Waste Partner company at the waste depot in an effort to resolve the impasse between the two men.
He, however, said there was no formal complaint laid to him as the MPAC chairperson.
“There was no formal complaint to me as far as the intimidation is concerned.
“I will conduct a forensic investigation into the matter, as well as to why there were no payments of contractors. For now I have received an email from the subcontractor and it might include the intimidation,” Mketsu added.
It was in this meeting Nhlapo alleged that the first incident of intimidation took place whereby the main contractor’s “hitman” threatened to shoot him and his partners.
The MPAC chairperson confirmed that there were heated discussions among the businessmen, but said he might have missed the intimidation part.
“There was an exchange of words but it is not for me to say whether it was intimidation or not. Mine was to sort out the issue of non-payment. The meeting ended up amicable.”
Mketsu said he learnt about the reasons behind the suspension of waste truck removals over non-payment later on.
He said it was unfair for the main contractor not to pay his subcontractors on time as their Service Level Agreement dictated that they must be paid within 30 days.
At the same time, Nhlapo said he had since opened a case of intimidation against the “hitman” and police have arrested the culprit.
Police spokesperson Captain Manare Ramotshela confirmed that the 51-year-old was indeed arrested.
Ramotshela said upon arrival at the suspect’s residence, police found and recovered unlicensed high-calibre firearms and a pistol with varying ammunitions.
“The suspect, a 51-year-old male was arrested at 10.30pm in the evening on Thursday, August 22, 2024 and taken to the police station and detained as he did not have clear reasons why he possessed the firearms with no permission.
“His firearms are also booked in at the police storage for further investigation. He will be charged and taken to the local court of law for a bail application,” the police captain said.
The suspect has been linked to a murder case in Thokoza, he added.
“The recovered exhibit will be taken to the police laboratory to check if they have been used to commit other criminal activities around the province and other provinces in our country.”
The acting station commander of Alberton SAPS, Lt-Colonel Samuel Mohoebi welcomed the great job performed and thanked all those who made it possible.
The “hitman” is set to appear in court on Monday morning.
Waste Partner company senior official, Sibusiso Mashiyane, did not respond to questions sent to him at the time of print.
The Star