IFP KZN premier candidate Thami Ntuli. (Darren Stewart/Gallo Images)
- The IFP says it is worried about the safety of its KwaZulu-Natal premier candidate, Thami Ntuli.
- The party claims his convoy was ambushed and harassed by gun-toting men and police officers on two occasions.
- Find everything you need to know about the 2024 general elections on News24’s Elections Hub.
The IFP claims its KwaZulu-Natal premier candidate Thami Ntuli’s convoy was harassed by armed men in an incident where the police allegedly took sides.
On Sunday, Ntuli’s convoy was reportedly intercepted by vehicles carrying armed men wearing balaclavas.
The alleged incident happened a month after the IFP complained about the “harassment” of Ntuli by a group of police officers and Durban metro police members while he was on his way to conduct a radio interview in Cornubia, Durban.
Speaking to News24, IFP secretary-general Siphosethu Ngcobo said the party was worried about Ntuli’s safety amid “threats” from individuals purporting to be police officers.
On Sunday evening, Ntuli’s convoy reportedly encountered an unmarked Ford Ranger near eSikhaleni.
The car, carrying four males, “aggressively inserted itself” into Ntuli’s convoy near Richards Bay on the N2, according to the IFP.
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News24 asked Ntuli to describe the scene, but he said Ngcobo would speak on his behalf on the matter.
Ngcobo said Ntuli’s security detail attempted to evade the Ford Ranger, but it caught up with them and blocked them at the intersection of the John Ross highway and N2.
He added four gun-toting men, clad in police overalls and wearing balaclavas, pointed their weapons directly at Ntuli’s bodyguards and cocked their “big guns”.
Ngcobo said:
The four men yelled: ‘Get on the ground. Why are you driving recklessly on the road’?
At this point, he added, Ntuli spoke to his men and the situation was diffused.
A few moments earlier, Ngcobo said, Ntuli’s bodyguards spotted the Ford Ranger following them “for a long distance”.
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In a statement, he added: “It is important to highlight that these individuals provided no identifiable markings or credentials to confirm their affiliation with the National Intelligence Unit or any other law enforcement agency. Furthermore, their vehicle lacked any official branding or insignia.”
After the first incident in April, the IFP warned the police to “stay out of politics” and “remain non-partisan”.
At the time of writing, KwaZulu-Natal police had not responded to questions about the alleged incidents. Their response will be added once received.
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