The alleged assassination of a North West province businessman has prompted the Congress of the People (Cope) to call for “thorough lifestyle audits on the politicians and officials” in the province.
Wandile Bozwana was shot last week near the Garsfontein off-ramp on the N1 north. He later died of his injuries while his colleague‚ Mpho Baloyi‚ was reported to be in a critical condition.
His murder‚ Cope said on Monday‚ came “as the fight for tenders developed‚ court battles raged between Bozwana and the North West government”.
“Corruption exacted its toll‚” said Cope’s Dennis Bloem‚ adding that Bozwana had‚ “in an interview he gave before his death…himself contended that there was an enormous fight going on between those inside government and those outside of it to get tenders”.
“In his estimation‚ people in government received more tenders than people like himself‚” said Bloem.
“Regulations did not matter. The size of the tender pie depended on seniority in government: the higher up the ladder‚ the bigger the slice.”
He suggested Bozwana’s successful court actions‚ including one which “allowed him to attach as many as 40 vehicles and to block the province on the use R30-million of its funds” had meant “someone or the other in the North West government was overcome with trepidation”.
“Now is the time to bring out the lie detector and to do thorough life style audits on the politicians and officials of the North West‚” said Bloem.
“Corruption needs thick curtains. State power is therefore used to keep them closed. There is much too much that is going on in the provincial government of the North West that needs to be peeped at behind the curtains.”
Meanwhile, Bozwana’s memorial will be held on Tuesday in Kuruman and funeral on Saturday at Pretoria.
The family and employees have confirmed they live in fear for being next of target.
