Cops deny 'mishandling' mayor

Sydney Masinga Nelspruit - Mpumalanga police are denying any wrongdoing in the way they handled two burglaries reported by Nelspruit mayor Lassy Chiwayo. Chiwayo claimed that he had to launch a street-by-street search for suspects this week after local police apparently failed to investigate leads. He said police were also rude and laughed at him when he went to ask for help. He also accused police of setting free a suspect caught by his bodyguards in his yard during another burglary earlier this month. On Thursday, acting station commissioner at Nelspruit police station, Superintendent Eric Masiya, denied the mayor's allegations. He said police went to Chiwayo's house after the first housebreaking was reported on June 27, but could not find him. "The reason the suspect was released is that he was brought to the station and... [read full story]