Mataffin resident Leonard Milanzi, who survived nine gunshot wounds during an abduction, says he is frustrated by alleged police inaction nearly six months later.

Milanzi, a CCTV camera technician, was abducted on May 12 by two men in a Mercedes-Benz after they posed as clients seeking his services at a school in Pienaar.

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At the time, he recalled that the vehicle looked as if it came from a scrapyard, with no glass in the side windows.

He was taken to a cemetery where the suspects stole two cellphones, his smartwatch and cash. He was then instructed to lie face down, shot nine times and left to die. Milanzi survived and managed to make his way to a main road – a trek that took more than 12 hours – where he was found by the Ehlanzeni Diving Unit the following morning and airlifted to hospital. He opened a case at Pienaar Police Station.

Crucial phone evidence handed to police

A month later, Milanzi obtained a replacement phone and recovered backed-up data critical to the investigation. “I went back to the police station to share the information,” he said.

“Police said they would apply for a Section 205 court order to help obtain the needed information from the digital service provider.”

After another month had passed, Milanzi still had no update on the case. “I later learnt from the captain who was investigating my case that the SAPS had never sent the court order and that another officer would take over the case,” he said. He added that he also discovered that his case number and the police’s case number were allegedly different, which added to the confusion.

Shooting linked to land dispute

Milanzi said he later learnt from community members that the man allegedly responsible for his shooting was known to him.

“The two guys that shot me are working for the very same guy whom I have a protection order against over my plot of land,” Milanzi alleged.

He explained that he had lent a portion of land to the individual to grow a vegetable garden, which he took back after two years to be repurposed.

“Again, I went to the SAPS to tell the investigating officer about the developments and still they didn’t do anything,” he said.

By this point another month had passed. Milanzi said he obtained the protection order on April 15 after five gunshots were fired at his house and one bullet missed him by centimetres while he was sleeping in his bed.

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Complaint escalated to provincial authorities

Milanzi escalated the matter to the provincial SAPS on September 15. On October 9, he received a response acknowledging his complaint and stating that the office would investigate the matter.

“I am disappointed that the SAPS has failed me, since I have given them all this information and they did not follow up on it,” he said.

Mpumalanga police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo confirmed that a case of attempted murder was opened.

“Police are following some leads and the investigating officer is in constant communication with the complainant,” he said. “We cannot divulge more information as that might compromise the investigation.”