Jimmy Mohlala

Jimmy Mohlala (1965 - 4 January 2009

Mohlala was born in 1965 and served as Speaker of the Mbombela Municipality. A member of the African National Congress (ANC), he was also vice-president of the South African Football Association (SAFA).

In early 2008, Mohlala blew the whistle on alleged tender irregularities involving Mbombela municipal manager Jacob Dladla and the awarding of multimillion-rand construction contracts for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The tenders were reportedly awarded using fraudulent tax clearance certificates.

The Mail & Guardian reported that the local council had investigated Dladla for alleged tender manipulation, harassment of employees, and failure to keep the council informed about World Cup infrastructure progress. Some ANC officials allegedly tried to suppress the report.

The ANC conveyed its heartfelt condolences to Mohlala’s family, describing him as a skilled and committed leader. Provincial secretary Lucky Ndinisa said Mohlala’s death was a painful loss, emphasizing his dedication to improving the lives of ordinary citizens and the significant gap his passing would leave in the organization.

Allegations later emerged implicating then- ANC Provincial Chaireperson David Mabuza in a broader pattern of political violence in the province, including the 2009 assassination of Mohlala. In a 2017 investigative article by Mail & Guardian, former Mbombela mayor Lassy Chiwayo directly accused Mabuza of being "directly or indirectly responsible" for Mohlala’s murder. Mabuza rose to position of Mpumalanga Premier 4 months after the Mohlala assassination.

The article highlighted long-standing claims of Mabuza’s control over local policing structures and referenced multiple political killings in Mpumalanga during his tenure. While ANC officials, including then-provincial secretary Mandla Ndlovu, denied Mabuza’s involvement and no charges were ever filed, the unresolved nature of Mohlala's case continued to fuel speculation, particularly in light of other whistle-blower deaths in the region. His widow, Bonny Mohlala, has reported being left without updates since 2014.

In 2024, Mpumalanga launched a special unit to investigate political killings, citing Mohlala’s case among others.

Among the theories surrounding his assassination is the alleged involvement of a mysterious Mozambican hitman known only as “Josh”, who was reportedly linked to a network of politically motivated killings in Mpumalanga, particularly during the tenure of Mabuza who many accused of murdering political opponents.

In April 2026, suspended Mpumalanga Police Commissioner Daphney Manamela hosted a media briefing in Mbombela and accused football administrator and businessman Bobby Motaung of giving a bribe totaling 5 million rand to Fannie Masemola. Manamela alleges there is a link between Motaung’s cases and the murder case of Mohlala, who blew the whistle on the construction of the Mbombela Stadium.