Madonsela death threats must be taken seriously

08 May 2016

The DA will be seeking an urgent update on the investigation into the serious allegations that the Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, has received death threats. 

The South African Police Service (SAPS) must investigate these allegations and tell Parliament what will be done to ensure the safety of our heads of Chapter Nine institutions who need to discharge their constitutional mandate without fear or intimidation.

If the SAPS fails to act, I will write to the Western Cape Police Ombudsman, Vusi Pikoli, requesting that an investigation be conducted into the SAPS’ dereliction of duty in this regard.

This comes after Madonsela had been made aware of an intended attempt on her life, which would be planned to look like a car accident. The alleged hit was supposedly funded to the tune of R740 000 by a Western Cape gangster, and Madonsela was made aware of this by a trusted informant of hers (see Sunday Times report).

It cannot be that the heads of critical institutions in defence of our democracy can have threats made on their lives for acting in manner that is too independent in an effort to root out government corruption wherever it festers.

Our nation's VIP Protection Unit falls under the SAPS which is duty-bound to ensure that the Public Protector is protected and not intimidated so she may continue to carry out her constitutional functions.

Violence and the threat thereof can, in no uncertain terms, be tolerated and the DA wants SAPS to take these allegations seriously and to ensure that threats on human life, both high profile and ordinary, are prevented and dealt with effectively. After all, it is the SAPS who are constitutionally enjoined to keep all South Africans safe. 

Statement issued by Zakhele Mbhele MP, DA Shadow Minister of Police, 8 May 2016