Spokesperson for Premier Job Mokgoro, Vuyisile Ngesi, says in a statement that on Thursday, 10 October, thirty members of the business forum in question, who were allegedly incensed by not being awarded tenders in the province, stormed the office of the administrator, Samuel Thobakgale, demanding answers. Ngesi says while police managed to quell the tension, threats of physical harm were allegedly directed at Thobakgale and his support staff. No arrests were made in the matter on the day of the incident.

Police spokesperson, Sabata Mokgwabone, confirms two such cases of intimidation have been opened by the administrator in question and a chief director at one of the departments in the province. Mokgwabone says the latter incident involving the unidentified official occurred two days prior to the chaos that erupted at Thobakgale’s office. Mokgwabone says their investigation into the matter continues. The OFM News team is yet to get comment from the business forum on the matter, but is expected to do so soon.

The North West Business Forum came under the national spotlight in September 2019 following allegations that current Members of Parliament (MP), Supra Mahumapelo and Matthew Wolmarans, were the masterminds of a 2015 hit on businessman and then chairperson of the business forum, Wandile Bozwana, while they were occupying the positions of North West Premier and Rustenburg Mayor respectively. Mahumapelo denied the allegations. Members of the forum said Bozwana spoke out and legally fought against corruption and blacklisting of certain companies at the time. The forum is essentially making similar allegations of blacklisting in 2019.

Bozwana’s fight against Mahumapelo’s then government went as far as the Constitutional Court. Bozwana was gunned down in October 2015 in Pretoria. He was driving a yellow Renault Clio when he and a female passenger were accosted at a traffic light and a hail of bullets were fired into the vehicle. The criminal trial into his murder continues.

OFM News