All clear at Endumeni after bomb threat but what was behind it?

While the all clear was given by the police following  yesterday’s bomb scare at the Endumeni Municipality, the background to the incident has more sinister undertones.

The threatening call was made shortly before the start of a Council meeting, scheduled for 3pm. Three motions had been tabled at the meeting which included, among other issues, a call by the ANC Councillors for the Mayor to be investigated for alleged corruption.

Mayor Richard Mbatha has insisted to the Courier on previous occasions that the attacks against him are all political.

“As far as the threats and fabricated and documents against me. I will prove my innocence and then lodge a civil claim against the person/s who are making false allegations against me.
“As the hung council, we will root out corruption and do everything in our power to root out corruption and run Endumeni municipality in a proper manner, ” he said in a statement.

The other motions included one by the ANC’s Councillor Xaba expressing concern that Councillors’ bodyguards (specifically the ANC’s) were terminated ‘forthwith’.  It is understood that a security threat analysis had been called for previously, and when this did not materialise the bodyguards’ services were cancelled.

There was also a motion questioning the validity of the decision to extend the contract of acting municipal manager, Desi Padayachee. The bomb threat effectively closed the municipality and the nearby tourism office – thus ending any possibility of holding a meeting.

It is not clear when this Council meeting will be held.

Police are investigating who was behind the bomb threat call.