Sowetan reporter opens intimidation case against EFF councillor

Sowetan reporter Mandla Khoza has opened a case of intimidation against EFF councillor Nyankwabe Thomas Mnisi.

In a story published in Sowetan on Wednesday, Mnisi is accused of demanding to be paid millions of rand by construction companies doing state projects in Mbombela Mpumalanga.

One of his accusers Saul Siwela, whose company won the tender to build a R300m parliamentary village in Mataffin told Sowetan he allegedly demanded R6m from him. He said Mnisi threatened to mobilise the community to halt construction should his demands not be met.

Khoza said Mnisi threatened to raid his home and hurt his children following the story he wrote about the PR councillor operating as part of construction mafia.

The threat came after the publication of the story, with Mnisi accusing Khoza of not properly reporting his side of the story.

“He said I didn’t write all the details of his side of the story. I told him to go buy the newspaper and read the full story. He then called me to say we should meet up because he has some dirt on Siwela as he felt the story was favouring him [Siwela],” Khoza said adding Mnisi demanded a follow-up story.

Around midday, Khoza received a threatening call from Mnisi accusing him of delaying their meeting.

“He said we must meet at the garage at 3pm and if I don’t come I must know that he knows where I live. He said he would come after me and take ownership of my home."

Upon his arrival at the garage, Khoza said he found Mnisi with two men and were later joined by two others. 

“He told me he knew where I lived and said he was the protector of Mataffin and that he could take over my land as payment for the damage I have done to his name. One of his [four] friends told me that if I hadn’t come for the meeting, something bad was going to happen to me. They then asked me if I have kids; when I said yes, they said my kids would see something they had never seen before,” said Khoza.

As the conversation went along, the councillor made allegations about Siwela and other officials at the Mpumalanga public works department. 

“I told him to please send me proof of the allegations because Siwela had produced a recording as proof to the allegations he made against him [Mnisi],” said Khoza. “He then instructed me to write the story as he would send me damning evidence against Siwela later.  

“Just before I left, they said they wanted to see the story in today's publication... otherwise they would proceed with their plans about me and my family,” said Khoza, who has since gone into hiding. 

Khoza opened a case of intimidation with the Mbombela police. 

“I can confirm that Mandla Khoza came to register a case of intimidation with us,” said provincial police spokesperson Brig Selvy Mohlala yesterday.

Mnisi has since denied these allegations, claiming Khoza is dragging his name through the mud. 

“Mandla [Khoza] nearly destroyed me by publishing information without hearing my side [of the story]. 

“I was with my brothers and nobody threatened him. We just told him that we would give him our side of the story. I told him that if he drags my name through the mud, he will be in trouble. What he did to me is unfair. “I told him that if he could write about me like that then he can do the same and clear my name,” said Mnisi.