LYDENBURG – The Carte Blanche crew that visited the town last week had to pay a visit to the local SAPS after they came under attack by Mr Samora Mlotja, director of Full Output.
The team asked to be taken to the much talked-about R1 stand developed by Mlotja. At the stand, no one was available to open the gate. They then did a broadcast link from the street when Mlotja suddenly pulled up in his vehicle, stopping two doors away from his house where DA Cllr Farhad Essack had been standing chatting on the phone.
Mlotja stormed Essack with a brick in his hand threatening to kill him because of all the unnecessary exposure.
Essack apparently told him that he would lay a charge of assault and crimen injuria. Mlotja then stormed away and went to his house where the Carte Blanche crew was stationed. He then attacked the entire crew with the brick. He then kicked the camera out of the cameraman’s hands after which he stormed the producer and the presenter, physically abusing them and threatening to kill them. He apparently shouted;“ I will f**king kill you people.”
The crew then asked him to calm down and said they would leave immediately. Thereafter Essack and the crew proceeded to the SAPS station in Lydenburg whereby each individual laid charges against Mlotja.
According to presenter Bonita Nuttell, he pushed her and then turned on the cameraman Piet Snyman. In the process the camera, which was still filming, tumbled to the ground still capturing footage of an enraged Mlotja.
Ms Bernadette Maguire phoned the newspaper and told them that they had to postpone the scheduled interview at the Steelburger/Lydenburg News to the following morning as they were at the SAPS laying assault charges against Mlotja.
Snyman told the newspaper the following morning that while they were at the police station, Mlotja also pitched. Four charges of assault were laid against him. The entire incident was captured on film.
A furious Mlotja told the newspaper they had invaded his privacy. “It is my house. They did not let me know they were coming. It’s not about my house, it’s about the land. If Carte Blanche wants to take pictures, they must take pictures of the land and not the house. I applied for an RDP house in 2010 and it was approved in 2011. But then I started working for TCM and was told I did not qualify anymore. I was shown empty stands within my budget. I chose the one of R20 000. The money was paid over to TCM of which I have the receipt. They gave their statement and I gave mine and the docket has been sent to the prosecutor for a decision.”
Mlotja gave the newspaper a copy of the said receipt of the R20 000 transfer to TCM.
“I publicly request Farhad to stay away from me and my property. I will repeat what I said yesterday (Monday), I will kill him.”
