Municipal Manager threatened with death

Date: 17 November 2006 By: Nthambeleni Gabara

A week after she buried her younger sister, the municipal manager of the Makhado Municipality, Ms Faith Muthambi, has received two letters containing death threats.

Muthambi received the first letter the day she returned to her office on November 10. On her arrival at home, the municipal manager´s domestic worker gave her another letter, which had been delivered by an unknown person during the day.

Both letters are typed. The letter Muthambi received in her office was posted in Polokwane and it is written in poor Northern Sotho. The one delivered to her house is her vernacular (Luvenda).

The content of the letter delivered at the municipal manager´s office reads as follows: November 2006. O tsamaise ditaba tsa gago ka molao (Justify). O tlogele go foroa ka batho bao bosasa ba tlou lahla oa sala o e nosi.

Tseo o di bonang ke mahlola kotsi a gago. Tsa batho o di fe batho o sale le tsa gago fela. Ge go si bjoalo. "Your remains will soon feel comfort in your very precious duvet - nested casket," Ga tlo tla batho ba ngata bao, 3 over 800 ba gona e seng ba tlago go lla le ba ngoako, fehla o tla go bona gore ke nnethe o a tsamaya hle. O rapele ka mehla le mehla gore mohlomong o tlo kerea gaugelo.

While it is still not clear as to who is threatening the municipal manager, security has been beefed up at the municipality. Security guards at the civic centre are searching every individual entering the municipal building with their technological devices.

A municipal official, who spoke to Mirror on condition of anonymity, could not deny or confirm if security has been tightened following the death threats against the municipal manager. "We are all surprised that the security guards at the municipality have strengthened their teeth. We were never briefed about these sudden changes," said the official.

Efforts to get a comment from the municipal manager before our going to press proved fruitless, as her mobile phone was on voicemail.

Ms Muthambi’s younger sister, Mpho (26), was brutally murdered a fortnight ago and thrown into the Luvuvhu River by unknown criminal(s).

Although it is not clear how Ms Muthambi is dealing with the threats, sources revealed to Mirror that these were reported to "higher authorities".

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Nthambeleni Gabara

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