Veteran ANC leader Reverend Frank Chikane wants no stone unturned in finding the truth about the disappearance of his baggage at a Rustenburg lodge.

Chikane's baggage was allegedly tampered with and left outside one of the rooms on Friday at the Kedar Heritage Lodge in Phokeng, Rustenburg.

He had travelled to attend his mother-in-law's funeral which took place on Saturday.

Recalling what happened, Chikane said he had left his baggage in the room and gone to visit the family home in Windsor. When he returned at around 21:30 he found that his baggage was not in his room.

He said after he had enquired from the reception staff on duty the baggage was then searched for and discovered in a bench next to a room that was next door to his.

"They brought it to the reception where I was and the baggage was clearly ruffled-up," Chikane said.

Poisoning experience

Chikane said the incident brought memories of a poisoning experience when chemical and biological warfare substances were used against him which nearly ended his life.

"I refused to receive or handle the baggage and called the police," he said.

Chikane said when the police arrived at the scene they took a statement from him, and explored the scene where the baggage was found.

He said the police then took the baggage with them and registered a case at the Phokeng Police Station.

He added that family members came and assisted him in managing the crisis and booked him into another hotel as he felt unsafe.

"They also undertook a mission to get me a pair of shoes from my home in Midrand about 130km away from Phokeng to ensure that I had clothes to dress up for the funeral which was due to start at 06h00 on Saturday the 22nd December 2018," he said.

Chikane described the experience at the hotel as the "most disturbing" of all his years of travelling. He said baggage taken out of a hotel room and dumped outside the hotel room was unimaginable.

"My safety and security were bridged and I felt violated, and ended up in another hotel after midnight without my basic necessity."

"I hope that the police will leave no stone unturned until the truth is known and prosecution preferred against anyone who took my baggage out of the room and anyone who tampered with it. The Kedar must also take responsibility for this violation of my safety and security of my baggage and my person," he said.

North West police spokesperson Captain Sam Tselanyane said Phokeng police are investigating a case of theft, adding that no one had been arrested.

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