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Hawks have been probing 'threat' on Malusi Gigaba's life - report

  • Former finance minister Malusi Gigaba's wife Norma was being probed by the Hawks, reportedly due to an existing investigation into an alleged threat on his life.
  • Norma Gigaba was arrested on Friday for malicious damage to property and spent a night at the Brooklyn police cells before her release on bail.
  • She is due to appear in court on Monday.


Former finance minister Malusi Gigaba's wife Norma was arrested by the Hawks to see if her alleged involvement in damaging a friend's car was in any way part of a previous "threat" on her husband's life in June, a Sunday report says.

The Sunday Times reported that apart from allegedly trashing Gigaba's friend's car, the 40-year-old spent a night in jail because the Hawks wanted to clarify if there was a link to the death threat.

So far, the motive has been attributed to an alleged "jealous rage" after Gigaba's study was also damaged, the publication reported.

However, the newspaper also quoted two sources saying the Hawks got involved due to an existing investigation into an alleged threat made against the former minister in June. 

A senior Hawks source told the newspaper that they used the incident with Norma as an opportunity to establish her involvement, if any, while a close personal friend also confirmed the threat.

Asked for confirmation, Hawks national spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi told News24: "There was an element of threat to his life in the nature of the offence; we had to get involved and deal with it. We have done what we had to do. That case now will be referred to the SAPS detective for further investigation."

Mulaudzi declined to provide more information.

Mulaudzi told eNCA on Sunday that "there was more to the story" which was a "serious matter that they did not take lightly", but did not go into details with the broadcaster either.

'Gigaba against arrest'

Gigaba was reportedly against the arrest of his wife, despite opening a case, and bemoaned the manner in which she was arrested, the Sunday Times reported.

He particularly had a problem with the possibility that a Friday arrest usually meant a suspect would stay in jail the entire weekend before appearing in court.

Gigaba had also tried in vain to withdraw the charges - his and Norma's lawyers had also worked together to try and secure her release, the report said.

Gigaba was arrested on Friday for malicious damage to property and spent a night at the Brooklyn police cells before she was released on R5 000 bail on Saturday, News24 reported.

The Mercedes Benz G Wagon she allegedly thrashed belonged to Gigaba's close friend, the trade unionist Peterson Siyaya.

Norma's lawyer, Victor Nkwashu, confirmed on Saturday that she had been released from police cells and would appear on Monday in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court, where she faced charges of crimen injuria, malicious damage to property and assault, News24 reported.

Nkwashu told News24 she was in "good spirits" because she was going to see her children.

- Compiled by Malibongwe Dayimani

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