/ 20 May 2001

POLICE CONSULT SANGOMA OVER YENGENI THREAT

SOUTH African police on Tuesday consulted a witchdoctor to shed light on a mysterious threatening letter to Tony Yengeni, a senior African National Congress politician alleged to have taken a bribe in a major arms deal. Hendrik Olivier from the police’s VIP protection unit said he asked a local sangoma to look at an envelope containing ashes and a scrap of paper with a single word written on it that was sent to Tony Yengeni, the ANC’s chief whip. Senior Superintendent Olivier had been baffled by the meaning of the word “ithogo”. One of the explanations given to the police was that it meant, in reference to the ashes, “this is what will become of you.” According to recent press reports, Yengeni has received several threats and bizarre phone calls since it was reported in March that he was given a luxury car by a company close to the controversial $5,5-billion arms procurement programme. – AFP