Former LOTA executive committee member Mr Mahlangu has reported that he was allegedly threatened at gunpoint on Tuesday morning, 18 August 2026, while travelling to a taxi rank.
Mahlangu alleges the incident happened at around 05:00, when a white Volkswagen Polo stopped in front of the taxi he was travelling in. According to him, a man wearing a balaclava got out of the vehicle carrying a firearm and warned him against attending a LOTA meeting.
The reported incident comes amid ongoing tensions within LOTA following Mahlangu’s removal from the association’s executive committee. He has previously raised concerns about processes followed within the organisation, and believes the alleged threat may be connected to the wider dispute surrounding LOTA’s internal operations. He did not identify or name any individual he believes may be responsible.
Despite the warning, Mahlangu says he intends to attend the meeting. “I will attend the meeting. The community must know that if anything happens to me today or any other day, it must be known that I died for standing for the truth in the association,” he said.
The allegations have not, at this stage, been independently verified, and it remains unclear who was behind the alleged incident or whether it is directly connected to the LOTA dispute.
This is a developing story. Emalahleni FM will bring you further details, including any response from LOTA leadership and law enforcement authorities, as they become available.