Gamede refutes allegations of R5 million Krugerrands

MBOMBELA – Accused MEC for the department of agriculture, rural development, land and environmental affairs, Mr Andrias Gamede, has refuted allegations that he ever lost R5 million worth of Krugerrands during a burglary at his Piet Retief house which occurred on May 12 this year and simply described it “as a fabrication” by the City Press newspaper over the weekend.

He announced this during a Press Conference on Wednesday held at Che Masilela House, the provincial headquarters, where he also holds the position of provincial treasurer. Instead, Gamede made it categorically clear, that he was suing the newspaper and the journalist, Sizwe sama Yende for defamation.

“As I sit here, I have never owned a single Krugerrand all my life and there was never any in my house on the day of the burglary, save for a sum of R20 000 and personal documents, including important family documents and the safe.

“Another loss suffered in the burglary, were broken windows at the entrance, through which entry was gained into the premises. It is news to me that I lost R5 million worth of Krugerrands and R30 000 in that break-in.

“You can check all gold coins institutions if I ever owned any Krugerrands, I’m giving you that permission. And I also give you permission to obtain my statement with the SAPS as I will grant them the permission to share it with you. If he was misled by the SAPS spokesperson, let him admit it, that’s his problem, not mine.

“I submitted a statement to the SAPS in Piet Retief when I laid a complaint at the police station. I want to know what is it that I’ve done to Sama Yende that he persistently defames me. I warned him when he interviewed me last week here, that history mustn’t repeat itself like the previous lawsuit I lodged against him in 2009, which I won.

“All these matters will go before the Supreme Court and he has to bring proof, thereof. His very opening paragraph, which was also paraphrased on the front page: ‘An Mpumalanga MEC claims he was robbed of R5 million worth of Krugerrands and R30 000 in cash in his safe.’“That, on its own, is defamatory and other subsequent paragraphs in his story. He never asked me about R5 million during his interview with me,” he said.

This was said in the presence of Sama Yende who stuck to his story and facts, which he said he had recorded during the interview after Gamede had requested that he mustn’t record the conversation.

“I had to back up my story and recorded because I know you politicians are crooks and liars. I knew he would change his statement. I have all in this recording, including an SMS confirmation of the sum from the provincial SAPS spokesperson,” he said.

It also transpired that during their initial two-hour interview, that Gamede said he had no comment to make to the newspaper’s allegations.

“As I sit here, I know who broke into my house and am awaiting justice to take its course,” he said.

Questioned if these developments had any bearings on the forthcoming ANC provincial conference in October, he vehemently said:

“This has nothing to do with it and I refer back to a stance we announced together with my fellow comrades in the top four, that no one will contest each others’ positions except that we all stand behind our chairperson, DD Mabuza for the third term and he will emerge as the provincial chairperson next month. Those who oppose it, will eat humble pie.”

The legal battle ground has been opened wide for the two parties to prove to the Supreme Court, which of the two versions is the truth.