Johannesburg - The head of the Presidential Protection Service, General Wally Rhoode, is accused of allegedly ignoring several requests to upgrade Deputy President David Mabuza’s “worn out” fleet before his long-serving protector lost his life in an accident two weeks ago.
Mabuza’s 56-year-old protector, Thomas Shongwe, died on the scene when the car he was travelling in with colleagues reportedly burst one of its tyres and rolled several times along the freeway in Middelburg, Mpumalanga while the convoy was travelling to Gauteng.
Shongwe’s colleague, Captain Joshua Maloka, who was also in the car, is still fighting for his life in the hospital and had one of his arms amputated after it was severely injured during the accident. Warrant officer, Vincent Sethibela, who was driving the vehicle, has since been discharged from the hospital after he also sustained some injuries.
Mabuza’s convoy was involved in three accidents in three different provinces, this year alone. The first accident happened in Cape Town, Western Cape where Phillip Makgatlo who was on a motorbike was injured on February 17, 2022. He is not back at work yet as he is still recovering from the injuries. The second accident occurred in Midrand, Gauteng where two vehicles collided with each other on July 27, 2022. The officials sustained minor injuries. And the last accident happened in Middelburg, Mpumalanga where Shongwe died on November 20, 2022.
Mabuza wasn’t injured in any of these accidents. One of Mabuza’s protectors, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal, this week said Rhoode must take full responsibility for Shongwe’s death after he allegedly ignored several requests to replace Mabuza’s motorcade.
“Wally has blood on his hands. We made several requests even official letters were written by the deputy president’s office asking him to replace the current fleet because it is worn out but he did nothing about it,” the protector said.
The protector added that it was a miracle that Mabuza is alive and wasn’t injured in any of the accidents.
“When the deputy president gets into these vehicles he isn’t sure whether he will arrive at his destination on time or alive. The situation is bad and his security has been compromised several times because of these accidents and breakdowns,” he added.
Mabuza’s motorcade had several breakdowns while he was en route to official engagements.
* Mabuza’s motorcade broke down while he was on his way to a Human Rights Day event this year,
* Mabuza was delayed on an official engagement after his main vehicle broke down on October 11, 2021, and compromised his security.
A source with intimate knowledge of the presidential protection service claims Rhoode has been undermining Mabuza after there was a fallout between the cat, as the deputy president is affectionately known, and president Cyril Ramaphosa.
“Rhoode is not taking the security of Mabuza seriously and only attends to Ramaphosa’s security needs and requests,” the source said.
The source said that late in 2021 before his death, the last apartheid president, FW de Klerk, requested that his wife, Elita Georgiades, must be taken care of after his death.
“This request is currently being honoured and facilitated by Rhoode. Two bodyguards are currently assigned to Georgiades which was not the case when De Klerk was alive. Georgiades lives in her private house somewhere in Cape Town and has 24/7 police protection from Presidential Protection Service under command from Rhoode. She further has a Mercedes limousine allocated for her use which is one of the VIP fleet vehicles,” he added.
The source added that Georgiades frequently travels abroad and one bodyguard is assigned to travel with her at an enormous cost in terms of accommodation alone.
“Figures are reported to be close to R100 000 00 for a two-week trip.”
A police general, who asked not to be named because he isn’t allowed to speak to the media, said Rhoode’s alleged preferential treatment to De Klerk’s widow has left some members of Mabuza’s security team fuming.
The general added that SANDF must also be blamed because they so far failed to provide Mabuza with air transportation from the Air Force.
“Mabuza’s convoy has clocked so many kilometres because they are always driving him around even long distances. Even the national police commissioner has access to the SAPS private jet but such courtesy hasn’t been extended to the deputy president of the country by the Air Force. Some of the ministers, MECs and mayors are driven around in better cars, some of them even brand new, than the deputy president of the country,” the general added.
The head of Mabuza’s office, Thamsanqa Ngwenya, refused to answer any question regarding his boss’ fleet and referred all the questions to Rhoode.
Rhoode referred all questions sent to him to the SAPS. Spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said they were conducting investigations and would not be commenting on the accident.
“The concerns raised by the office of the Deputy President are receiving the necessary attention from the Divisional Commissioner: PSS. While investigations into the accident continue, the vehicle in question was in the workshop in July this year and was declared roadworthy. The SAPS will not comment further on this accident pending the finalisation of the investigation. We, therefore, request space to conduct a thorough investigation,” Mathe said.
Mabuza is tipped to become the president if Ramaphosa resigns following the damning findings of the Independent Panel which was appointed by the Speaker of Parliament, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, to investigate whether the president has a case to answer on the Phala Phala farm scandal.