Top ANC MP shot in ATM robbery

FORMER ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu is in a stable condition in a hospital intensive care unit (ICU) after being shot at the weekend.

Mthembu – who is chairman of the parliamentary portfolio committee on environmental affairs –  was shot in his  chest as he withdrew money from an ATM.

He was described yesterday as being “coherent and able to speak”.

ANC spokesman Keith Khoza said after visiting Mthembu at the Emalahleni Hospital that X-rays and various tests had been run to determine the severity of his injuries.

“We think he will pull through even though we await medical confirmation. He is able to speak and was able to relay what happened.”

Two shots were fired at him and  one bullet grazed his chin while the other went through his chest and exited from his back.

Mpumalanga police spokesman Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said Mthembu was shot around 10pm on Sunday at his hometown in Witbank when he turned to face his robbers, who had demanded he clean out his account and hand over the money.

There were, however, contradictory statements about the incident.

Police said Mthembu had company in his car parked not far from the ATM at Mandela Street at the time of the shooting while the ANC said he was alone.

Mohlala said two of Mthembu’s cellphones and one belonging to an occupant in his car, whose identity he could not confirm, were taken before the robbers fled on foot towards Middelburg. “They also fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. However it is unclear whether that money belonged to him or the other occupants in the car,” he said.

Other items including his bank cards and ID were also taken.

No arrests have been made but police investigations were under way into robbery and attempted murder.

ANC chief whip Stone Sizani wished Mthembu a speedy recovery and expressed shock and outrage.

“We are disturbed and infuriated by this mindless and callous act of criminality and implore the police to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that those savage thugs face the full might of the law,” he said.

This was echoed by the opposition parties such as the DA which conveyed its support to the ANC and Mthembu’s friends and family. National Freedom Party leader Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi said the shooting was “a direct attack on society”.

Cosatu saluted Mthembu’s courage in driving himself to hospital and called for those responsible to be brought to book.

The South African Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric)  yesterday revealed that robbery of bank clients had increased nationally.

CEO Kalyani Pillay said the crime had increased by 23% since 2013.

However, Pillay said Witbank was not among the hotspot areas where such a  crime was prevalent.

“The banking industry is working closely with the police and will also provide investigative support in this matter. Sabric and the banks continuously create awareness in terms of personal safety and protection of one’s card while using an ATM, especially during the festive season,” said Pillay.

In July this year, Sabric revealed that between January and June this year, associated robberies have claimed six lives where banking customers were  robbed either on the way to or from banks.

The company also revealed that during the same time, banking clients lost more than R26-million through robberies, an increase of more than R5-million compared to last year’s statistics of the same period.

Sabric has advised bank clients to carry as little cash as possible; to consider the convenience of paying accounts electronically and consider making use of cellphone banking or internet transfers or ATMs to do banking. — Additional reporting by Ntwaagae Seleka