The house belonging to Operation Dudula leader Nhlanhla Lux’s neighbour in Soweto has been bombed twice in what is believed to have been a case of mistaken identity.
The house, which is situated in Pimville, was bombed in the early hours of Monday morning.
It is believed that Lux’s house, which is adjacent to the bombed house, was the target of the attack, but his assailants are believed to have been given the wrong address.
Speaking to Sunday World outside his house, Lux said he was working with the police around Soweto in preparation to defend properties ahead of the EFF-led nationwide shutdown when he received a call that the house had been bombed twice.
“The house was bombed twice,” he said.
Asked if it was petrol-bombed, Lux said: “No I’m talking about real bombs.”
He said the bombs also shattered the windows of the houses in the neighbourhood, noting that although the culprits are not known, he suspects EFF members were behind the attack.
“They have been threatening me with violence in the build-up to this national shutdown. My opinion is that it is them who did this, because throughout the night in Soweto, I was together with the police and we were able to stop this nonsense they call a shutdown.”
Athlenda Mathe, spokesperson for police in Gauteng, said the police are investigating a case of public violence and malicious damage to property.
“Police are investigating the possible use of commercial explosives in this incident,” she said.
When Sunday World arrived at the scene, the houses on Lux’s street were cordoned off by the police.
Police Minister Bheki Cele, who visited the area, said the police were unable to determine the type of explosives used to damage the houses.
He said forensic experts and bomb squads who were combing through the scene will advise him of the type of explosives used.
Cele also said 87 people including three EFF councillors in Free State, Mpumalanga and Gauteng have been arrested and charged with public violence.
“I think we just wasted our time, because this thing is not a shutdown. Everything is just normal in the country,” Cele said.
He added that the police will investigate allegations that several shots were fired after the explosives were detonated.
“The Hawks will investigate and give us a report on that.”
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