/ 12 February 2006

MEC says he’s being targeted after break-in

Attempts by robbers to break into the house of the Eastern Cape health MEC raised suspicion on Saturday as to whether he was being targeted, his office said.

Spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said MEC Bevan Goqwana noticed on Saturday morning that attempts had been made to gain entry into his Southernwood home in Mthatha

”Although we do not know the motive for this, we have suspicions that maybe Goqwana was being targeted,” Kupelo said.

Kupelo said ”everyone” had known that Goqwana lived in Bisho during the week and returned to his Mthatha home over weekends.

”Why would they try breaking in knowing that he was home?” Kupelo asked.

Maize was also found in Goqwana’s yard, which Kupelo said had led them to believe that the culprits were trying to poison the dogs in the MEC’s house.

Mthatha central station commander Johan le Roux confirmed the incident but denied that there might have been any attempts on Goqwana’s life.

”There is no such suspicion on our side. We have no information regarding that,” Le Roux said.

He said the criminals failed to gain total entry into the house.

It had not yet been clear if anything was taken from the yard. – Sapa