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Johannesburg – Former Department of Social Development director general Zane Dangor suspects foul play after assailants took nothing from his house during a home invasion on Monday.
“I do not think this is random. It could be an attempt at intimidation,” he told News24 on Monday night.
Dangor said he received a call from his daughter at 15:30 saying two cars, one white and one brown, had pulled up outside their home in Florida Park, Johannesburg.
“My 26-year-old son and my daughter were at home. They used the excuse that I sent them to fix something.”
Dangor said his domestic helper approached the men and they grabbed her by the throat.
“They pushed her out of the way. My son tried to fend them off. They tried to put a cloth over his mouth. He managed to fight them off and locked himself in his room with his sister. They called me and ADT Security.”
Dangor said the men went through the house.
“Nothing was stolen. They had enough time to take many valuables. However, nothing was gone.”
Dangor said his son sustained an injury to his arm.
“He hurt his hand and had to get X-rays. I am not sure what this was, but who breaks into a house with two vehicles and steals nothing?”
He said his children were unsure of exactly how many men were part of the robbery.
READ: 9 mysterious cases of intimidation and stolen information
“They were approached by two of them.
“I can only think that it is an attempt at intimidation. When I spoke to the CEO of Sassa today, he said that someone in a brown car tried to sell his wife something yesterday. Luckily he had better security.”
He could not say if it was related to the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa).
“But I feel like it is too bizarre. They didn’t take anything. My son’s iPad and many other valuables were there for them.
“At the moment I am a bit angry. The safety of my kids was the first thing that ran through my mind.”
Police did not open a case because nothing was taken from the home. Spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubela confirmed this, and that they were not investigating.
Earlier this month, Dangor resigned from the department due to a breakdown in his working relationship with Minister Bathabile Dlamini.
He did not want to comment on whether he thought he had been treated fairly in the Sassa matter.
Dangor was appointed director general in November 2016. He had been special adviser to the minister since 2010, according to the department's website.
