Publication	Sunday Argus
Date	2005-11-20
Reporter	Sibusiso Ngalwa
Web Link	www.capeargus.co.za

The mother of the complainant in the Jacob Zuma rape case is believed to have gone into hiding after being whisked away from her KwaMashu home this week.

The agitated elderly woman told her nephew on Thursday night the three burly men who had come to fetch her were taking her to Johannesburg. She has not returned since and the nephew, who is looking after the house, has not heard anything from her.

The Tribune, sister newspaper of the Sunday Argus, tracked down the family's modest four-room home in KwaMashu, north of Durban.

A man, who identified himself as Sibusiso Mlaba, stood guard outside the house. He is employed by private security company One Stop.

It remains a mystery as to who placed the security guards there; even One Stop's owner Selvan Odayar refused to divulge the name of the "gentleman" who hired his company. However it is understood that the home has been under 24-hour guard since Thursday night.

Sources close to the family told the Tribune that they feared that Zuma's supporters might attack the home, hence the hiring of security guards to protect it.

The complainant's cousin, whose name is known to us, told of how he was awoken by a heavy knock on the door to his home in another section of the township on Thursday night.

"When I opened the door I saw these three burly men that I didn't know. From the way they knocked it sounded like they were policemen but they were dressed in civilian clothing. It was two African guys and an Indian chap *1. My aunt was with them and she told me that she was going to Jo'burg.

"She hugged me and handed me the keys to her home. She was very emotional. I then gathered that something was wrong," he said.

All along he did not know that the alleged victim in the rape claim is his cousin. He was only informed on Friday by members of the media who visited him.

"I went to visit aunty earlier on Thursday, I could see that something was worrying her. She looked frustrated and her phone would not stop ringing," he said.

"She was preparing to go to town and she informed me that she would be buying a new starter pack for her phone. Now it all makes sense why she wanted to change her number," he said.

He believes she has gone into hiding.

"This thing is tearing her apart. (The complainant) is her only child and they are very close, while at the same time the family is close to Zuma because he was in Robben Island with (the complainant's father). (The complainant) referred to Zuma as "Malume" (meaning uncle)," said the 37-year-old father of one.

"I just wish this whole thing could just go away because it is causing us unnecessary stress. I respected Zuma and trusted him as a leader but now I don't know what to think of him. I expected him to be our next president," he said.

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*1  Members of the Witness's Mother Protection Unit?