An ANC councillor at the Polokwane municipality is living in fear following an attempted murder attack that nearly ended his life.
Steve Mashabela escaped death by a whisker after he was left in his burning car.
The incident happened at Ga-Maja village near Chuene Dam on November 3.
Mashabela, 42, said he was with his girlfriend at his new home in Kwena-Moloto village near Seshego when two men entered by hacking the door with an axe.
One of the men was carrying an axe while the other one had a firearm.
He said he fought the men off by kicking the one with an axe.
"I realised that my life and that of my girlfriend were in danger and I had to surrender," said Mashabela yesterday.
He said his girlfriend was not touched. The men tied his hands with a cable before bundling him into the back seat of his VW Polo TSI.
"They poured a powder substance into my mouth before closing it with a sellotape to ensure I did not scream," he said.
They drove off with him in his car for about 40km until they stopped near the Chuene Dam and doused the car with petrol before setting it alight.
His attackers fled the scene in a gold Toyota Corolla with Gauteng registration numbers.
"The men thought I was unconscious when they poured the petrol and lit the car," he said.
As the car was burning, he opened one of the doors and fled into the bushes.
Mashabela said he used his teeth to free himself from the cable.
"And because my clothes had caught fire, I had to take them off and ran for my life ..." Mashabela said.
He said he flagged down a passing truck whose owner called the police when he saw him naked on the road.
"At that point I was enduring the pain from my head and leg, which I sustained from the fire," said Mashabela, who was still traumatised when he spoke to Sowetan yesterday, almost two weeks after the attack.
The police took him to the Lebowakgomo Hospital where he was treated and discharged the following day.
Mashabela insisted he be discharged as he feared for his safety.
"My worry is that no arrest has been effected after more than a week after my lucky escape.
"I urge the police to speed up their investigations and arrest the culprits before more harm is done as I'm feeling unsafe," he said.
Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said they were investigating cases of kidnapping and attempted murder.
He further confirmed Mashabela's girlfriend had also opened cases of housebreaking and theft of cellphones against the men.
"Our investigations are at an advanced stage over these issues and we can also confirm that the suspects are the same people in the two matters," Ngoepe said.
According to Mashabela, he did not have enemies and was unsure what had prompted the attack on him.
frankm@sowetan.co.za
ANC councillor manges to escape burning vehicle while bound with cables
An ANC councillor at the Polokwane municipality is living in fear following an attempted murder attack that nearly ended his life.
Steve Mashabela escaped death by a whisker after he was left in his burning car.
The incident happened at Ga-Maja village near Chuene Dam on November 3.
Mashabela, 42, said he was with his girlfriend at his new home in Kwena-Moloto village near Seshego when two men entered by hacking the door with an axe.
One of the men was carrying an axe while the other one had a firearm.
He said he fought the men off by kicking the one with an axe.
"I realised that my life and that of my girlfriend were in danger and I had to surrender," said Mashabela yesterday.
He said his girlfriend was not touched. The men tied his hands with a cable before bundling him into the back seat of his VW Polo TSI.
"They poured a powder substance into my mouth before closing it with a sellotape to ensure I did not scream," he said.
They drove off with him in his car for about 40km until they stopped near the Chuene Dam and doused the car with petrol before setting it alight.
His attackers fled the scene in a gold Toyota Corolla with Gauteng registration numbers.
"The men thought I was unconscious when they poured the petrol and lit the car," he said.
As the car was burning, he opened one of the doors and fled into the bushes.
Mashabela said he used his teeth to free himself from the cable.
"And because my clothes had caught fire, I had to take them off and ran for my life ..." Mashabela said.
He said he flagged down a passing truck whose owner called the police when he saw him naked on the road.
"At that point I was enduring the pain from my head and leg, which I sustained from the fire," said Mashabela, who was still traumatised when he spoke to Sowetan yesterday, almost two weeks after the attack.
The police took him to the Lebowakgomo Hospital where he was treated and discharged the following day.
Mashabela insisted he be discharged as he feared for his safety.
"My worry is that no arrest has been effected after more than a week after my lucky escape.
"I urge the police to speed up their investigations and arrest the culprits before more harm is done as I'm feeling unsafe," he said.
Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said they were investigating cases of kidnapping and attempted murder.
He further confirmed Mashabela's girlfriend had also opened cases of housebreaking and theft of cellphones against the men.
"Our investigations are at an advanced stage over these issues and we can also confirm that the suspects are the same people in the two matters," Ngoepe said.
According to Mashabela, he did not have enemies and was unsure what had prompted the attack on him.
frankm@sowetan.co.za
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