Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality deputy mayor Sthabiso Nhlanhla Dladla says he is ‘so confused’ about the allegations that he is linked to the cash in-transit heist that took place on the R103 between Frere and Estcourt in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday.

The DA’s Uthukela Constituency Head Alf Lees says the Dladla has allegedly been implicated by two people that were arrested yesterday.

“According to a police report that has been seen, these suspects pointed out the official’s house as the place that the cash in-transit heist was planned. Apparently the official also followed the vehicle that was ambushed,” Lees says.

It is also alleged that police visited the IFP official’s house after receiving the information.

“Apparently, the police were unable to contact or find him, but the following were apparently seized from his house: a 308 rifle (also suspected to have been used in other cash in-transit heists), 17 x 308 calibre live rounds, explosives of some sort and cash that had been damaged by an explosion,” Lees explains.

The DA is now calling on Dladla to resign immediately and the IFP to act decisively and suspend him.

Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality mayor Mduduzi Myeza, when contacted for a comment, denied the allegations.

“This is not true. I was with the official last night. The police did visit his household yesterday but not to look for him, rather to look for somebody else, who was said to be hiding in his house,” says Myeza.

Speaking to the Estcourt News earlier today, Dladla says that indeed police officials had visited his home in Weenen on Thursday.

Also read: IFP official ‘confused’ about CIT heist claims

“I was at a meeting at the municipality and I got a call from my wife saying that there were police all over the yard,” says Dladla.

His wife informed him, during the phone call, that the police told her they were searching for a vehicle.

“They opened the garage and went through the house, breaking things. They did not respond to questions from my wife. I told her to ask them for a search or arrest warrant as well as their identification cards,” Dladla explains.

He called the Weenen police to find out if they were aware of the search but they allegedly were not and officers were sent to Dladla’s home.

“When the Weenen police arrived, the other police had left. They took my 308 rifle, R1,000 cash as well as liquor. To my wife’s knowledge, there were no explosives taken, as stated in the allegations against me,” he says.

“I was at home all day yesterday to avail myself to the police but no one came. If I do not receive information from the police by Monday, I will try to locate them through my lawyer,” concludes Dladla.

Police have not yet released official information regarding this matter.