Murder attempt on Land Bank informant

22 May 2007 - 02:00
By unknown

Staff Reporter

Staff Reporter

A whistle-blower who alerted the DA to alleged financial malpractices and possible corruption at the Land Bank is now living in fear after threats and an attempt on his life, according to the DA's Anchen Dreyer.

In documents submitted to a forensic team of the auditing firm Deloitte, the whistle-blower said that during the first week of March, an Indian man in his late 30s driving a dark blue BMW arrived at his home and said to him: "You are dealing with very resourceful people. They are very well connected. Leave it alone before it is too late."

Then on May 17 an unknown person tried to run him over. The informant escaped with bruises and lacerations by leaping out of the way.

Deloitte has been appointed by the Agriculture and Land Affairs Minister Lula-ma Xingwana and has started its forensic investigation into alleged financial malpractices and possible corruption at the Land Bank.

Dreyer said that the informant wanted to remain anonymous for his personal safety, but his name was known to her and Deloitte's forensic investigators.

"He made information that he believes might help in this investigation available to Roger Burrows, MPL and DA member of Scopa in the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature. Burrows passed this information to me as his colleague, a fellow DA member of Scopa in the National Assembly," she said.