Langa, Ndlovu accused of hiring thugs

Two senior Zanu-PF officials, Sports minister Andrew Langa and senator Naison Kutshwekaya Ndlovu, have allegedly ‘hired thugs' to stop a Bulawayo businessperson from operating a gold mine in Filabusi in spite of a High Court order which gave him provisional ownership of the mine.

Isrealis Reouven Meyer Dray and Avi Habot, who are Langa's partners at Erica Trianic Investments gold mine in Filabusi, were last year ordered by the High Court in Bulawayo not to interfere with operations, giving Nqobile Khumalo and Fransica Mufambi provisional ownership.

The two Israelis had a partnership agreement with Khumalo and Mufambi but later on roped in  Langa following a disagreement, giving the minister 10% shares in the business deal.

Khumalo and Mufambi approached the High Court which gave them a provisional order barring the Israelis from interfering with operations at the mine.

Read the provisional order granted by the High Court: "The respondents be and are hereby ordered not to sell the mine in question. The respondents be and are hereby ordered not to interfere with the applicants' operations at the mine and not to interfere with equipment."

According to Khumalo who cited Langa, Trianic Investments, Ndlovu, Dray, Avi Habot and Dorcas Tiwaringe as the respondents in an affidavit he wrote to the High Court in Bulawayo on January 29, the two senior Zanu-PF members have hired thugs to prevent him from continuing with operations at the mine.

Khumalo also alleged that the two politicians have been issuing him with death threats and have defied an order from the sheriff and police in Filabusi ordering them to respect the High Court provisional order.

"On the 27th of November 2014, I obtained an order against the respondents even though Langa and Ndlovu are not cited in that application," submitted Khumalo.

"The respondents were served the order by the Sheriff of Zimbabwe. The ZRP (Filabusi) also served the respondents with the same order which they totally ignored. Soon after the respondents (Trianic Investments, Dray, Habot and Tiwaringe) were served with the order, Langa and Ndlovu started threatening me and my family with death and I am no longer safe such that I had to relocate to a safe place," stated Khumalo.

He argued that Langa and Ndlovu have since hired thugs resulting in him failing to run operations at the mine.

"Langa and Ndlovu have since hired thugs to ensure that I have no access to the mine and to ensure that I have no control over my company assets. I am now unable to run the mine anymore and they (Langa and Ndlovu) are boasting that they will not listen to a mere paper which has no relevance on the ground," he said.

Khumalo alleged that efforts to report the matter to police have failed to yield anything as the law enforcement agents are afraid of Langa and Ndlovu.

"I have also reported the matter to the police and the matter is being investigated at ZRP Filabusi, but police are afraid of Langa and Ndlovu who are high ranked politicians and government officials.When I checked with the investigating officer on the progress of the matter at one time he told me that he was afraid of Langa," he said.

Khumalo alleged that Langa and Ndlovu have since appointed themselves directors of the mine.

"Langa and Ndlovu even proceeded to make themselves directors of my company so that they could loot the proceeds from the company. Langa and Ndlovu have also been aware of the order as they were served with the order but are actually leading the rest in disobeying the High Court order saying no one can arrest them and that they are above the law," Khumalo said.

Khumalo has since filed an application to the High Court against Langa and Ndlovu's alleged breach of the provisional order.  The matter is soon to be heard in the High Court. Norman Mugiya, of Mugiya and Macharaga Law Firm, is representing Khumalo.