After having her security detail withdrawn in June, Buffalo City Metro member of the mayoral committee (MMC) and ward 7 councillor Clara Yekiso-Morolong now wants the city to extend her VIP protection spell amid fresh allegations of intimidation.
The detail was withdrawn after an intimidation case she had opened in November 2022 was withdrawn.
The councillor wants the city to again provide her with close security after she had allegedly been “insulted, threatened and accused of witchcraft” recently by members of her community in Duncan Village, individuals who are ironically members of her political party, the ANC.
During last week’s special council meeting, speaker Humphrey Maxhegwana tabled a “top secret” report on the latest security threats against Yekiso-Morolong.
Maxhegwana’s report comes amid alleged threats received by the councillor in April.
In his report, Maxhegwana says he had opted to write to council after he had received correspondence from the police, informing him about possible threats to Yekiso-Morolong.
Police had on July 2 recommended to BCM that the MMC be again provided with close security after it had found that her life was in danger.
This is when she had allegedly been threatened by two community members who had accused the councillor of practising witchcraft.
According to a threat and risk assessment report signed by provincial police’s Major-General Zithulele Dladla on July 2, Yekiso-Morolong had opened three cases relating to intimidation between October 2020 and April 2024.
The first of the incidents took place in September 2020, after a housing development meeting in Duncan Village.
She was “harassed” and “threatened” with death by a group of community members who were apparently against the housing development she was addressing communities about.
The group allegedly also threatened to set the councillor alight before she opened a case of intimidation at the Duncan Village police station a few days later.
That case has, however, been closed as “undetected”.
In November 2022, she opened another intimidation case at the same police station after she had allegedly received phone calls from unknown people threatening to kill her.
In the wake of that alleged threat, Yekiso-Morolong was provided with bodyguards by city authorities, but they were withdrawn in June this year after the case was withdrawn.
According to Dladla’s report, after two ANC volunteers died as a result of separate stabbing incidents earlier this year, and after Yekiso-Morolong had been accused of witchcraft by two community members, she opened a third case of intimidation in April.
That case is still under investigation and is one which the police had recommended that she be provided with security until a risk assessment was concluded.
In that April case, Dladla’s report states that Yekiso-Morolong’s son allegedly received information that there was “a white Toyota Avanza with unknown occupants that was at C-section in Duncan Village to organise a firearm to kill” his mother.
Dladla said the same Toyota Avanza was seen in the area where the councillor’s residence was located, but there were no further details about the vehicle.
“The allegation that the subject was threatened and accused of witchcraft may pose a risk,” Dladla wrote.
“In view of the above, threats made by community members pose a threat towards the life of the subject and could possibly endanger the life of the subject and her family if not mitigated.”
He told council that to mitigate the threat against Yekiso-Morolong, BCM should take responsibility to ensure the safety of the subject, pending successful investigation of the cases reported.
While the outcome of the new threat and risk assessment is still pending, the city has posted law enforcement officers at her home to provide a 24-hour service.
Maxhegwana could not be reached for comment on Wednesday and Yekiso-Morolong said she was in a meeting.
She promised to call back but had not done so by the time of publication late on Wednesday.
Metro spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya failed to respond on Wednesday to sent questions about the matter but said: “Be advised, this matter was presented to council in a top-secret report precisely because it is a sensitive security issue, and the Buffalo City Metro is constrained to divulge or confirm any information related to the questions that have been asked.”
DA councillor Anathi Majeke said her party was not against councillors receiving protection as long as this was done in compliance with the law.
“We are very worried about the looming threats that councillors have against their lives,” Majeke said.
“And we note the letter from the commissioner detailing the threats.
“We are also in support of a resolution of council that a policy be put in place to ensure that security of councillors is not abused and council does not incur irregular or wasteful expenditure.”
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