South African President Jacob Zuma has sent a strong message to local thieves and those who are selling drugs. The country’s First Citizen told the provincial police that they ‘must arrest whoever is involved in drug dealing and house-breaking in Dundee.’ President Zuma was responding after he received a message that the home of one of his staff member’s parents, who stay in Dundee, had been burgled. Thokozile Mbambo of 6 Browning Street said she was woken up by a ‘peculiar noise’ at about 2am on December 31.

She told the Courier that she saw a man in her bedroom and immediately shouted out ‘stop thief, please help me somebody.’ She got up and chased the burglar. “I told myself that if I die now, I will die with a thief,” she added. By now her grandchildren were also awake and they too chased the thief who had with him Mrs Mbambo’s Bible. The Bible, in which there was R5 000, a bankcard and R1 000 in airtime, was found near the Forrestdale bridge, not far from their home.

By this Thabani had returned home and instructed that no one should touch the Bible in case police were able to lift fingerprints. However, when the police arrived the Bible was gone from where it had been left near the bridge and there was no sign of the money or bankcard. Mrs Mbambo said the family now realised that there had been victims of a ‘huge burglary’. A new flatscreen television set had been stolen as was a laptop, kettle, microwave and food had been eaten out of the fridge. Two cellphones were also missing. Entry had been gained by forcing open the kitchen door. Police investigators discovered traces of an oil like substance next to the windows which they believe may have been burnt to make the Mbambo family ‘sleep like the dead’ while their goods were carted off. Police later recovered the television from a man after ‘pressure from President Zuma’s office’, Ms Mbambo alleged.

When she went to report her bankcard stolen, she was told several attempts had been withdraw money from her account. “I am not happy that the man who bought the stolen television was not arrested. I will report back to President Zuma,” she said. The Dundee police were contacted to clarify the issue, and promised to revert back on the matter.

The Courier was informed by a family member of Mama Mbambo’s that all suspects were arrested by Detective Warrant Officer Jagath. The appeared in the Dundee Magistrates’ Court on Monday, January 13.